


Fallen Angel

by Seirenia



Series: Aegis Rising [1]
Category: Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: Angst, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-26
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2018-05-23 10:01:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 12
Words: 32,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6113044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seirenia/pseuds/Seirenia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Bruce Wayne becomes entangled in a romance with a beautiful, young Doctor who saves his life, how will he handle things when her life becomes jeopardized because of Batman? Enemies of Batman and the Justice League target the young Doctor, unknowingly triggering a series of events that will leave everyone involved shaken. The Justice League gladly welcomes a new member whose abilities prove to be useful beyond anything they've seen before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Long and Lonesome Highway

Title: Fallen Angel

Author: Seirenia (Me)

Fandom: Justice League Animated Series; Batman: The Animated Series;

Owner(s) of the Fandom: DC Comics Inc.; Warner Bros.

Rating: M, M+

Pairing: Batman/Bruce Wayne / OC

Disclaimer: I don’t know Batman. I don’t know Claire Kennedy. I don’t own Batman or any DC Characters. I do own Claire Kennedy and any original characters. I don’t mean to cause harm, confusion or headaches. If either of the characters this story is about would like discuss future works, you know how to get in touch with me. Also, please don’t sue me…I don’t do well in jail and I have no money. Void where prohibited.

 

 

Chapter 1

 

The deluge of rain unleashed itself angrily from the dark, furious clouds in the sky above Gotham. Nothing was safe from the penetrating droplets of rain that fell to the ground. The repetitive plopping of drops echoed off the roof of the silver Toyota Camry as it safely maneuvered the streets.

The driver slid the car into its usual parking space, marked specifically for the tenant who resided in Apartment 810 in the Elysium Gardens Apartment Building. Located in the affluent Gotham Heights neighborhood, the historic building had been recently renovated and converted from an Office Building into a towering Apartment Complex. The modern interior was a welcoming sight for the driver. The young woman stood at five foot four and was slender in frame. Her long blonde hair was pulled into a messy bun and her steel colored eyes came into a raptor like gaze. She wore a set of blue scrubs embroidered with Gotham General Hospital, Emergency Department Dr. Claire Kennedy. They were marred and stained by blood and other fluids from her double shift in the ER. She was weak and weary. Quite ready to fall into bed and sleep the exhaustion away.   
  
As she walked quietly through the Lobby, she saw the latest Tabloids strewn about on a common table. A particular headline caught her attention. “ _ Billionaire Playboy Bruce Wayne’s Hot New Romance!”  _ Beneath that rag-mag was the newest  _ Gotham Gazette _ headlining the recent escapades of the Justice League.   
  
She picked up the newspaper and skimmed the article. In Metropolis, Lex Luthor had once again escaped from jail and was once again caught and subdued by the Justice League. While there were people who loathed the help of the Meta-humans, Claire was personally grateful that someone was doing something to help the world suck a little less every day.   
  
She tossed the newspaper back on the table and retrieved her mail from her locked box. Thumbing through the contents, she came upon a small white envelope of considerable quality. Her name was elegantly written in calligraphy on the front. She stuffed the small letter into her copy of the  _ Gotham Gazette _ and walked to the Security Guard’s desk.   
  
“Good evening, Scott. How’s the night been? How’s Jaina and the girls?” Her voice was warm and smooth like honey. Her eyes shone with a radiant brightness, and the infectious smile on her slender face was perfect.   
  
“Hiya Doc. It’s been real nice and quiet tonight. The family is great. Jaina’s almost due now! Just a couple of more weeks! I don’t think I’m ever going to sleep again. Three kiddos under three. Who’da’thunk?” He laughed heartily. Scott Kilpatrick was many things. A friend, an excellent Security Guard, and a wonderfully devoted husband and father.   
  
“I’m so happy for you two. I’m sure the girls can’t wait to meet their brother. If you and Jaina need anything, let me know.” Claire stated softly.   
  
“Sure thing, Doc. How’d your shift go?” The guard inquired.

Claire steadied herself, and drew a breath into her strong lungs. Her shift had gone horribly. She’d lost a patient that had come in early into her 48 hour shift. A single gunshot wound to the stomach, with a 9mm. Claire had stabilized the kid, and the surgeon got the bullet out, but the damage was just too much.    
  
“Not so great, Scott. Lost a 19 year old kid, early in the shift. Sombered out the rest of the day. Nothing else really eventful happened. Spent some time at the Thomas Wayne Clinic. Just trying my best to fight the good fight, you know?” She lamented slowly with tears in the corners of her eyes.   
  
“Aw, kid, I’m sorry. I have faith that you gave it your best. It was his time to go. God needed him more than we did.” Scott replied kindly.   
  
“Thanks Scott. I’ve been at this a few years now, and it doesn’t get any easier as time goes by. It still hurts. I’m glad it does though, it means I’m still capable of doing my job right.” Claire stated.   
  
She glanced at her watch and saw the small display reading 04:25 A.M. She’d finally clocked off at 3 this morning and was excited to finally get a couple of weeks of vacation time to rest and recuperate from her devastatingly long hours.   
  
She looked up towards Scott, who was silently motioning for her to depart and retreat to the comforts of her apartment.   
  
“Good night, Doc. Sleep well.” He softly blessed her as she departed.   
  
“Good night Scott.” She quietly grumbled out.   
  
She walked to the elevator and gently pressed the shining silver button labeled ‘Up’. The machine whirred to life and silently opened its doors for her. Stepping inside the magnificent felted carriage and pressed the button for her floor.   
  
The elevator silently climbed through the building and softly chimed as it reached the 8th floor. As the doors opened, Claire half stumbled out of the door, her exhaustion quickly catching up with her. She walked the sixty feet to her door, and pressed her finger to the biometric reader on the door handle. The lock gave way and she pushed the door open, stepping inside her still apartment.   
  
She dropped the mail on the shelf beside the door, while depositing her keys in the small white ceramic shell on the surface. She unclipped her Hospital ID and dropped it to the shelf as well. She walked through the darkened room to her bedroom and shucked off her dirty scrubs and worn tennis shoes.   
  
She slid into her soft, pillowy bed, feeling the cool cotton sheets envelop her worn body. Her brain was fogging over too much for her to be able to take a shower, she’d bother with that in the morning. For now, all she could think about was the sweet release of sleep.


	2. Disaster Strikes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claire's vacation is cut short by a disaster in Gotham. Lives are at stake and Claire throws herself headfirst into Hell to do her job and rescue everyone. But there's one person who may not make it out alive.

Chapter 2

  
  
The sun was shining through the french doors that led to the balcony. The golden rays cast themselves upon the lump of blankets on the Mahogany sleigh bed. Claire extricated herself from the mess of steel grey sheets slowly. She stretched her lithe limbs and stole a glance at her watch. The small display read that it was near noon already.   


She slid her small body off the comforting bed and walked to the balcony doors. She opened them and took a large breath of the rain freshened air. Everything in the city below was covered with water leftover from the early morning storms. A gentle breeze swirled about Claire as she stood on the balcony gazing at Gotham below.

She stood silently for a few moments, mulling over the thoughts in her head, debating what she wanted or intended to do today. She finally retreated inside her spacious apartment and made her way to her bathroom. She shucked off the cerulean blue bra and panty set she was wearing and tossed the soiled garments into the hamper in the corner of the bathroom.

She moved to the overly large corner-style shower and flicked the water on to her favorite temperature. So blisteringly hot steam billowed off your skin, making you look like a freshly boiled lobster. She slid into the shower, closing the glass door behind her and stood still, relishing the heat radiating into her overworked body.

As the moments passed, she ran her fingers through her tangled, honey-blonde hair and worked the knots and snares loose. She ran her loofah across her slender frame, covering it in a sudsy aromatic mess that smelled like lotus flower, melon and aquatic notes. She lathered a matching shampoo through her long tresses and rinsed off. As she squeezed the water from her hair, she spread copious amounts of conditioner on the locks and rinsed it, finally pleased with her current state.

Claire turned the water off, and stepped out of the steamy shower, smiling as the thick steam poured out and spread across the floor. She stepped onto the blue grey shower mat and looked at herself in the mirror. _I look exhausted. But, it’s nothing that a little concealer can’t fix. Maybe I can get out and go enjoy a tea somewhere._ She thought. 

She ran a thick detangling comb through her hair, and pulled out her favorite straightener, determined to tame the messy locks before they started drying and becoming completely wavy and untameable.

After an excruciatingly long forty-five minutes, Claire was finally pleased with her hair. She’d straightened the locks and pulled them into a delicate ponytail. She opted for just a light amount of make-up, enough to cover the exhaustion, but so little it still allowed her natural beauty and dewy skin to shine through.

She ambled to her closet and pulled out a light grey shirt with Wonder Woman’s logo on it and a pair of light blue stone washed jeans. She fished out a light blue bra and panty set and quickly pulled the outfit together. She donned a pair of low-rise socks and her favorite pair of sparkly purple Converse sneakers. She twisted and turned in front of the full-length mirror on her wall and was quite pleased at how she looked.

“Now, to finally have a vacation. A few days just to myself to recuperate from all the chaos at the Hospital.” She sighed contentedly. 

On her nightstand her cell phone started ringing and vibrating, disrupting her thoughts while her custom ringtone, _Sandstorm by Darude_ played increasingly.  


“Ah, fuck. So much for ‘don’t bother me, I’m on vacation’.” Claire lamented.

She snatched the annoying device off the nightstand and glanced at the display before swiping the ‘Accept’ button. The small LED screen stated her caller was her boss, Samantha Ward. She accepted the call and brought the phone to her ear.

“Hey Sam, what’s going on?” Claire had switched on business-mode, her voice steadying and calming.

_“Claire, I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time. I know you’re supposed to be on vacation, but I needed to talk to you.”_ Sam choked out.

Claire could hear the wail of sirens both through the phone and through the still open french doors.

“Sam? What’s going on? Are you okay? Where are you?” Claire demanded answers.  


_“Claire, there was an explosion… at Wayne Enterprises. I’m working with the EMTS, it’s an all hands on deck situation. I’m surprised you haven’t seen the news yet!” Sam angrily huffed out._

_“Jesus, Sam! I’ve only been awake for an hour and a half! I’m on, or I guess I was on vacation!” Claire stole a moment to catch her breath, before continuing._

“What do you need me to do, Sam? Where do you need me?” Claire knew she wasn’t going to like the answer, but sometimes when Hell knocks on your door, you have to answer.

_“We need you here. Casualty count is around 57 now. I promise, I’ll extend your vacation two weeks if you get down here and help. I’ll make it up to you, but please, we could really use you down here.”_ Sam was yelling to both Claire and multiple people in the background.

“Sam, I’m on my way. I’ll be there in fifteen.” Claire hung up the phone, and stuffed it into the back pocket of her jeans.

She grabbed her Medical Bag and raced out the door, making her way as quickly as possible to the disaster unfolding in her beloved City.


	3. Hope

Chapter 3   
  
  
  


Bruce Wayne sat at the gargantuan desk in his office at Wayne Enterprises. He had felt the building shake violently and was beginning to retreat, when the Security Guards stormed their way into his office.  
  
“Sir! There’s been an explosion on level thirteen, sir. We have orders to evacuate you and Mr. Fox. Please come with us, sir.” The younger Guard called out.  
  
Bruce looked up at the intruders and growled deeply. Frustration apparent in his cold, blue eyes, he took a breath and steadied himself.  
  
“Leave me alone. Get everyone else out. I’ll be fine.” His baritone voice was thick with displeasure and arrogance.  
  
“But, sir, we have our orders.” The Guards incessantly pressed the issue at hand.  
  
“I don’t care about your orders. Follow mine. I will be fine.” He growled heavily, scaring the two young guards.  
  
They dashed out of the spacious office leaving Bruce to himself. He called The Watchtower. While he normally followed his rule of not allowing the Justice League to enter Gotham, he was chagrinned in this situation.  
  
“Batman to Watchtower.” His voice took it’s Batman persona and deepened heavily.  
  
 _“Watchtower here. We’ve been monitoring the current situation. Shall we assist you?”_ Came the familiarly comforting voice of J’onn J’onzz.  
  
“As much as it bothers me, yes. I’m sure there’s a number of people hurt or dead here. I could use the help.” Bruce complained. He hated having outsiders in his city, but knew he had to put his selfishness and arrogance aside for the moment.  
  
 _“Understood. We are teleporting to your location now. Watchtower, out.”_ J’onn stated in his deep, slightly monotonous voice.  
  
Bruce flicked the tiny communicator off, and started to make his way out of the building. He ran down the stairs near his office as quick as he could, still feeling aftershocks of the explosion resounding in the structure.  
  
He moved from floor to floor, pleased that Security was doing their best to search for survivors and escorting them to safety. As he came upon floor 19, a second explosion blasted through the floor above him. The building shook as the damage was done. Concrete from the ceiling fell in large chunks.  
  
A significantly large piece came crashing down on his head, trapping him in the stairwell. The weight of the concrete pressed excruciatingly heavy on his chest, snapping a few of his ribs in the process. He struggled valiantly to free himself from the obtrusive concrete, but realized quickly he was effectively pinned beneath the massive weight. Blood flowed freely from lacerations all over his face and chest. His breath became shallow and quickened, as he tried to stay conscious.   
  
As the minutes ticked by, he could feel his grip on consciousness fading faster and faster, as the darkness in the corner of his eyes spread farther and farther. Resigning himself to his fate he took several short breaths, hoping to keep oxygen going into his battered body.  
  
Dust rained down as the aftershocks shook through the building, bringing even more debris and dirt along with it. Bruce groaned and shook as his will to stay awake faded away, collapsing under the strains of the slab of weight pressing on his chest.  
  
~~*~~*~~

Outside the building, Claire was screaming orders to EMTS and people helping as she flitted from survivor to survivor, checking over the worst injuries and assigning people still conscious to various triage stations. Blood, sweat, and grime covered her face and her clothes. She worked fervently, trying to save as many people as she could. Dark sheets were covering bodies that weren’t able to make it.   
  
Near her, Samantha was working just as hard. The two women moved efficiently through the newest batch of survivors. In the fray, a young Security Guard was calling out for help. He was carrying a woman in his arms. His face bore a look of pain, while he carried his precious cargo further and further to safety.   
  
The two women ran to the young man, introducing themselves as he laid the woman on the ground.   
  
“I’m Dr. Samantha Ward, this is Dr. Claire Kennedy, we’re both Doctors at Gotham General.” Sam stated matter-of-factly. Her resolve maintaining.   
  
Claire brought her stethoscope to the woman’s chest, and was relieved to hear the soft thumping of her heart, albeit slower than she would have liked. Her fingers expertly moved over the woman’s face, making their way around her head, down her neck, and to her abdomen. The woman whimpered when Claire pressed gently on her ribcage.   
  
“Hey, sweetie, I need you to tell me how bad it hurts. Has she coughed up any blood?” Claire asked both people.   
  
The woman groaned through her pain, and coughed a little, clearing her throat. “It doesn’t hurt bad. No blood, I just can’t walk.”   
  
Sam looked down at the woman’s left ankle, and quite quickly understood why. She had definitely broken her ankle. The joint was viciously swollen and purple already.   
  
“Your ankle is definitely broken, I’m concerned about your ribs as well. We’ll get you sent to the hospital once the next wave of ambulances get here. Hang tight, okay?” Sam gently soothed the woman, while flagging down an EMT to stay with her and immobilize the broken joint.   
  
“Ma’ams, I have to go back in there. I think this is just about everyone.” The young Guard spoke softly to the two women.   
  
“I understand. Thank you, for all your help.” Claire gently dismissed the man.   
  
Nearby Claire noticed that members of the Justice League had landed and were starting to help the efforts as well. Claire stood, and rolled her shoulders before grabbing her bag and slinging her stethoscope around her neck.   
  
She walked to where there was a small ground of officials from Wayne Enterprises gathering, talking in quickened tones, obviously concerned about something. The small circle of people were surrounding Lucius Fox, the current CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Claire could make out snippets of their hurried conversations. Bits about Bruce Wayne not being amongst the survivors or bodies that were brought out.   
  
“Excuse me. I’m Doctor Claire Kennedy, I’ve been helping out here. I thought I heard you say that Bruce Wayne isn’t out here. Was he working here today?” Claire interrupted the conversation.   
  
The group looked at her in sheer audacity. How dare this stranger interrupt them while they were talking about official Wayne Enterprises business? Lucius Fox stepped away from the group and looked Claire straight in her steely eyes.   
  
“Yes, Ms. Kennedy, that is correct. He was here, in his executive office, on the 30th floor. Unless he flew out of the building secretly, he has not been accounted for. We’ve tried reaching him on his cell, but he’s not answering; or he is unable to.” His voice was warm, yet authoritative.

“I understand. Given the situation, he could be injured, or worse. I’ll gather a group of people and go and look for him. If he is injured, he may need serious assistance. Thank you, Mr. Fox.” Claire gently bowed her head, and turned on her heel.   
  
Claire wove her way through the tangle of people and saw Wonder Woman laying freshly found bodies down. She ran to her, softly calling her name as she went.   
  
“Excuse me, I could use your help. Honestly, I could use the League’s help. There’s concern that Bruce Wayne may be trapped inside. Have any of you found him?” Claire stated with concern thick in her throat.   
  
The majestic raven haired beauty looked at Claire and scanned her face for her intention. When Diana saw the stethoscope around her neck, she relaxed a little. She took in the woman’s appearance and assumed that she must be one of the medics working here.   
  
“I see. No, I do not think any of us have found him. We shall double our efforts and help.” Diana’s alluring voice was filled with calm, clarity, and compassion.   
  
“Thank you. I’m going to go inside and help if I can. If he is inside, and is hurt, time is of the essence in finding him.” Claire specified.   
  
Diana looked at her, before placing a hand on her shoulder. “Would you like assistance?”   
  
“Yes, please.” Claire responded.   
  
“Do you know where he was at last?” Diana asked, again her voice radiating calm.   
  
“His office is on the 30th floor. That’s where he was reportedly seen last. He could be anywhere between the first floor, and there.” Claire lamented.   
  
“Then, we shall start on the 30th floor.” Diana calmly stated.   
  
She reached her hand down, offering it to the younger Doctor. When Claire took it firmly in her grasp, Diana bounded into the air, flying straight up the outer wall of Wayne Enterprises. By the broken windows and large opened areas, she had the rough idea of where to make her entrance. She turned gracefully and protected Claire with her body, while punching through the sheet of glass preventing their entrance.   
  
She set down in the large conference room and walked in front of Claire, instinctively protecting her. As they exited the room, Claire began dashing in and out of the cubicles, looking for any evidence of what floor they were on. She found a paper denoting a desk as being in the Wayne Medical, Floor 32 section.   
  
“We’re on the 32nd floor, Wonder Woman. We have to go down. The stairs are over here.” Claire called out.   
  
Diana flew over the tops of the cubicles and picked up Claire as she went. “It will be safer, I believe, if I fly us down. While I do not have X-Ray vision, I am sure the structural integrity of the building has been compromised.” She stated softly.   
  
Diana wove her way through the stairwell, soaring to the 30th floor. She sat down, and startled herself when Superman burst out of a door. She caught her breath and looked inquisitively at the Kryptonian.   
  
“No one on this floor, Princess. Who is this?” His voice was cool, yet reassuring.   
  
“I’m Claire. Claire Kennedy. I’m a Doctor at Gotham General. I’ve been here helping. We’re looking for Bruce Wayne. His office is on this floor.” Claire spoke softly.   
  
Superman looked down at her, and gently offered her his extended hand. His soft blue eyes focused on her as he evaluated the woman. Pleased that she didn’t rebuke his handshake, he cleared his throat loudly.   
  
“I’ve scanned all the floors from the top to here. There’s no one left in this area. Are you certain he was here?” Concern was thick in his voice. He was certain Bruce would have made it out of the building.   
  
“Yes. He was attending board meetings all day. He should have been in his office. It’s entirely possible he’s gotten injured and is unable to get out of the building.” Claire swallowed back her words.   
  
“I see. We’ll work together, then.” He stated.   
  
Diana again took Claire’s hand and flew her down to the next floor. As they landed Superman scanned the floor with his X-Ray Vision, and confirmed there was no one on this floor. They continued this pattern until they reached the 22nd floor.

Clark froze as he could barely make out the faint sounds of a different heart barely breathing. He quickly scanned the floor, but was depressed when he couldn’t find anyone.   
  
“I can hear someone, or something. Barely. They sound weak, injured.” He said quietly.   
  
“Could the sound be below us?” Diana asked.   
  
“Yes. Quickly, then.” Clark called out, before he dashed to the next floor alone.   
  
The women followed him. As soon as they hit the landing, he dashed down to the next floor. They followed him again, and sped up when they heard him yelling for them.   
  
“DIANA! CLAIRE! HURRY!” His voice was pained with concern and grief.   
  
As soon as Diana landed, her hand flew to her mouth. “Great Hera, no.”  
  
Clark had found Bruce’s body. The color had drained from his body, and his chest barely rose as his lungs drew in oxygen. Clark gently laid him down on the ground and Claire dashed to his side and began examining him.   
  
The stethoscope flew to her ears, as if they were magically possessed. She flew through checking his vitals, while Superman scanned his bones. She felt the break in his ribs before Superman had even had a chance to tell her they existed. She shined her small penlight into Bruce’s gorgeous eyes and was relieved to see the pupils respond.   
  
“He’s unconscious. He’s lost a lot of blood. I can help him.” Claire said while looking around her.   
  
“He needs to get to the Hospital!” Diana exclaimed.   
  
“If we move him again, there’s a chance he’ll die. One of his broken ribs is nearing his heart, Diana.” Superman lamented.   
  
“But, how can this mortal help him?” Diana scorned, critically.   
  
“Because, I’m a Metahuman.” Claire spit out.


	4. Recovery

Chapter 4

  
  
  


“I’m a Metahuman. Only my direct boss knows, and I suppose you know now as well. Please, let me do what I can do and save him.” Claire calmly spoke with hints of desperation and pleading in her voice.   
  
“What can you do, Claire?” Came Superman’s quiet request.   
  
“I can heal him. I’ll need your help when I’m done. I can take use my abilities to heal him and mend his wounds. The toll to heal this much damage may be too much for me to handle. I haven’t healed damage like this before.” Claire looked up at Superman as she spoke.   
  
“What do you need us to do?” He calmly asked.   
  
“Protect me. I know it’s a lot to ask of someone you don’t know, but with how dangerous his wounds are, I may lose consciousness from this.” Hope flickered through her eyes as she spoke.   
  
Diana shifted her weight and looked down at the woman kneeling by Bruce.  _ Little does this woman know that she’s saving the life of a League member. Great Hera, give her strength. _   
  
“We will do all that we can, Claire.” Diana’s voice radiated relief.   
  
Claire nodded slightly and placed her hands over Bruce’s heart. She closed her eyes and felt her power surge to life within her. It swirled through her core and spread through her body as she willed it forth and shaped it into being.    
  
Diana and Clark both gasped as they saw a pale golden light start emanating from Claire’s hands. Her eyes flew open, shrouded by golden light. Wave after wave of light surged from her hands and into Bruce’s body dispersing in tiny sparkling shockwaves. Claire’s breathing became labored as she took the pain from Bruce’s wounds unto herself.    
  
The two intrepid heroes looked at her in awe as they saw Bruce’s wounds knitting themselves closed. The color started rushing back to his skin. His breathing became steady and smooth as Claire worked steadily.   
  
As the glow began to wane, Claire’s body went slack as she succumbed to the fierce torrent of power she had unleashed to save Bruce’s life. She collapsed to the ground, her body and spirit spent from the ordeal.   
  
Diana knelt down and scooped the frail woman into her powerful arms and tucked her protectively against her torso. Clark did the same for Bruce, and turned his head towards Diana. He looked fondly down on the young woman who risked everything she knew to save Batman’s life.   
  
“Let’s get them out of here, Di. Let’s get Bruce up to the Watchtower, J’onn can cover for him. We’ll bring Claire too. I’m sure we all have questions for her.” Clark softly stated.

Diana nodded in agreement. She flicked on her tiny Communicator. She tightened her grip on Claire as the device chirped into life.   
  
“J’onn?” Diana barely whispered.   
  
_ ‘Yes Wonder Woman?” J’onn’s voice was comforting. _ __  
__  
“We found Batman. He’s injured, but alive. Unconscious though. We need a teleport out of here. But first, can you cover for him?” Diana requested   
  
_ “Of course. How many are you?” Came the Martian’s warm voice. _ __  
__  
“Four.” Diana replied   
  
_ “Four?” J’onn questioned. _ __  
__  
“Yes. Bruce owes his life to a stranger. We’re bringing her with us. She might need medical attention.” Diana stated.   
  
_ “Should we leave her to the Medical facilities here?” J’onn inquired. _ __  
__  
“She needs  _ your _ type of medical attention.” Diana emphasized.   
  
“ _ I understand. Standby.” J’onn pieced together. _ __  
__  
Diana felt the all too familiar tingle of the transporter. She blinked and was now standing in the Transporter in The Watchtower. She glanced down at the woman in her arms and a small smile broke on her face. The League owed this woman a great deal for saving one of their founding members.   
  
__ Great Hera, protect her as she rests and recovers.  
__  
Not taking anything to chance, Clark and Diana both leapt into the air and started flying their way to the Medical Bay. They ducked and wove through level and level as their neared their goal. Bruce stirred slightly in Clark’s grasp. Pushing harder, Clark picked up speed with Diana following.   
  
The hydraulic doors to the Medical Bay whooshed open as the two Flight-capable heroes glided to a stop. Diana laid Claire down on the first of the 7 beds in the bay, with Clark laying Bruce in the bed adjacent. They each took a step back and gazed at the two humans resting.   
  
J’onn snuck his way into the gathering and turned his attention to the awake Justice League members. The scene before him made his heart weep. Bruce was covered in blood and grime, as was the smaller woman near him.

“What can you tell me pertaining to Bruce’s injuries?” His voice was even and calm. He shifted his gaze between Clark and Diana.   
  
“A sizeable piece of ceiling fell on his chest. I moved it, but he had broken ribs, multiple lacerations and contusions on his skin. This young woman here, a Doctor, has  _ powers _ . She healed him at the cost of her losing consciousness.” Clark gently, yet firmly intoned.   
  
“And you just let this crazy lady get her hands on our Batman? What were you two thinking? Geeze Bats is gonna have a hayday with the two of you when he wakes up… if he wakes up.” The outburst came from Flash who had just made his way to them with Shayera and John.  
  
Diana turned her head towards him and loosed her wrath on the young man. “We thought it was the best course of action. His injuries were great enough that if we moved him, he would have died. Even your superspeed wouldn’t have saved his life, Flash. She did. We owe her our thanks, not our disdain. Perhaps instead of judging the young woman unfairly, you should go fill out your briefing reports.”   
  
“But, Wondy! I only --” Wally’s voice abruptly cut off.   
  
Diana laughed as she looked fondly at her teammates, her surrogate family. John had smacked Wally hard enough on the back of his head, the sound echoed through the small room. The older African-American was scowling fiercely at the brash man.   
  
“Wally, haul your ass up to the Monitor Womb.” John sternly said.   
  
Wally hung his head and slowly walked out of the Medical Bay. If he had a tail, they could only imagine that it would be between his legs as his reprimanding was sharp. Shayera couldn’t help the smile spreading on her face.   
  
“Shayera, stay here. I’ll go babysit.” John lamented.   
  
The Green Lantern walked after the scarlet speedster and left his friends to their own devices. He knew that if something was seriously amiss, they would have told him. For now, he was content to give people space and let some of the  _ softer _ League members help.   
  
Shayera shifted her weight and flexed her powerful wings, shaking a few grey feathers loose in the process. She delicately picked them up and disposed of them in a nearby waste container. As she moved about, she continued stretching.   
  
J’onn started a scan of Bruce and left the device to work. He turned his ministrations to Claire and waited patiently for the results to come back. As he waited he looked over Clark, Diana, and Shayera. He was displeased to see a small, yet painful looking burn on Shayera’s back, between her wings.   
“Hawkgirl, you need medical assistance. Come, sit, please.” Came his cool, smooth voice.   
  
Shayera fidgeted. It was in her Thanagarian blood to let her wounds heal on their own. She didn’t want to appear weak, injured or unable to help.   
  
She plopped down on the bed nearest J’onn and painfully spread her wings out, wincing as the tight wounded skin pulled excruciatingly tighter. A piece of burning furniture had fallen across her back as she protected a survivor.   
  
J’onn set about gently cleaning the burn and treating it with antiseptics and analgesic creams developed by WayneMedical. As her healing factor finally kicked in, she sighed a breath of relief. As the moments passed, she could finally freely move her wings without any pain.   
  
“Thank you, J’onn. That’s much better.” She affectionately claimed.   
  
The monitors over Bruce had finished their scans and chirped signaling the information was ready to be viewed. J’onn floated over and gazed down at the display screens. His face bore little emotion, but his voice betrayed him.   
  
“Interesting. There is no damage at all. Even some of his previous injuries have been healed. The arm he broke last year has no signs of ever being broken. I understand now why she lost consciousness. She expended so much of her own bio-energy, her body went into self-preservation and sent her into a small coma. I should be able to bring her out of it telepathically.” The Martian specified.   
  
“Will she wake on her own?” Clark inquired.   
  
“Hrm. I believe so. I will defer to your judgement in this case. I can bring her out if telepathically, or we can allow her to rest and recuperate here. Should we notify anyone about her?” J’onn replied.   
  
“We should, yes, but how would we explain this? ‘Hi, this is Superman, I’m sorry, we’re holding Claire here at our secret base because she inadvertently saved the life of one of our members because she’s got secret healing powers that no one knew about and has strained herself enough she’s in a coma.’” Shayera laughed as she finished.   
  
“Good point, Shay. We’ll leave her be for now, and if the press starts looking for her, we’ll let the press quiet that.” Diana said as she looked Clark in his eyes.   
  
“Yeah, yeah. Clark’ll fix it.” Superman laughed heartily.   
  
On the bed, Bruce had opened his rich, blue eyes and was staring at the ceiling. He’d never admit it to anyone, under penalty of their most gruesome death, but he enjoyed the sound of laughter from his friends. It warmed a small part of the darkness inside him.   
“Clark. What happened?” Bruce growled, startling everyone in the room.   
  
“I don’t know, Bruce. What do you remember?” Clark intoned.   
  
“Explosions. Chaos. Cold. Warmth. Lots of warmth. Waking up here. I remember the guards coming to try and escort me out. I called for backup, made my way downstairs, then woke up here. What happened to me?” Bruce growled out again, deeper than before.   
  
“There were two explosions at Wayne Enterprises. A piece of the ceiling on one of the floors collapsed on you. Broke a few of your ribs. Fractured some others. A few major cuts and bruises. Diana and I found you. I pulled the stone off you, but I was scared to move you. There’s a woman here. She’s a Doctor. She risked her life to willingly come and find you, a stranger, and save your life. She healed you.” Clark nudged encouragingly towards Bruce.   
  
Bruce sat up and pulled his strong legs off the table, swinging them down to the floor. He felt no pain, no aches, no weariness. Just confusion.   
  
Claire still slept, softly breathing as her chest gently rose and fell with each breath she took. Bruce stood and took a good look at her. He growled in his chest as he turned towards his comrades.   
  
“You have to teleport me off here. She obviously doesn’t know who I am. She can’t. She’s not one of us. You four can cover up that I was ever here. If you need me, I’ll be at the Manor. Disguise your communications, calls,  _ anything _ . I’m going down to do damage control and to assess the situation as Bruce Wayne. I’ll let you know what I find.” Bruce’s voice deepened.   
  
He stormed out of the Medical Bay and marched his way to the Transporter Bay, eager to go take a hot shower and to clear the fogginess in his head. He was many things, but easily confused was not one of them. He loathed not being able to recall what had happened. It was so very unlike him. He was anxious to run some of his own tests to see just what this woman had done to him.


	5. Things That Go Bump In The Night

Chapter 5

  
  
  


The hours had dragged on as Bruce fielded call after call and press request after press request. Wayne Enterprises stance was that the explosions were currently being investigated both internally and externally. As they are part of an ongoing investigation, nothing could be discussed.   
  
The air in the cave was colder than usual, causing Bruce to shiver slightly. He sat back in the luxurious office chair in front of the gigantic monitor for his quantum supercomputer. He’d gotten Jim to release some of the evidence they were able to retrieve from the explosions. Bruce was currently submitting the samples to every battery of tests he could imagine, trying to find out just what had happened.   
  
He had been deeply interested when he reviewed medical scans that Dr. Leslie Thompkins had taken for him. To his surprise, some of his scars and healed fractures had vanished. Dr. Leslie just attributed it to working with the Justice League, and left it at that.

All of the testing he requested she do for him had come back perfectly normal. Whatever this woman had done to save him, had genuinely been done out of kindness. A grimace formed on his chiseled face when the realization that Clark had been right dawned on him.   
  
It definitely didn’t help matters at all that when he had first lain his eyes on her, he felt an immediate hitch in his heart rate. This woman was one of the prettiest he’d even seen. Which included all the supermodels he pretended to be involved with.

Bruce was so entrenched in his thoughts he didn’t hear the Alfred’s slight footsteps echo in the Cave. His eyes pored over the monitor as more and more information was returning from the testing. His blue eyes quickly darted to the clock in the corner of the monitor and he sighed as his stomach growled and he realized he’d missed both lunch and dinner.   
  
“Penny for your thoughts, Master Bruce?” The beloved butler asked softly.   
  
Bruce spun around in his chair and fixed his gaze on Alfred’s softened face. The Brit was patiently setting up a small dinner of Roasted Chicken, Brown Rice, and Sugar Snap Pea Pods. Bruce’s stomach betrayed his steely resolve again, growling in the silence.   
  
“Alfred, why didn’t you call for me? I would have come up to eat with you.” Bruce softly chided the elder man.   
  
“Master Bruce, I did call for you. However, you refused to acknowledge my attempts, therefore I left you to your devices. I assumed that what has held your rapt attention through  _ two _ meals, must be of more importance than my cooking a simple dinner.” The smile on Alfred’s face betrayed his chiding remarks.   
  
“Sorry, Alfred. I’ve been working with Dr. Leslie and fielding reporters, incessant phone calls, and test results.” Bruce stated as he scrubbed a hand over his face.   
  
“The temperature down here is abysmal, Master Bruce. Shall we retire upstairs, by the fire?” Alfred softly inquired.   
  
Bruce slowly nodded and withdrew himself from his chair, grabbing his cell phone and a folder off the desk and following Alfred’s footsteps out of the Batcave. As they made their way back into the Manor, Bruce was overjoyed to see a massive fire crackling and raging in the main Sitting Room. Alfred placed the tray of food down on a small table, and arranged chairs for the both of them.

Bruce sat down and began slowly eating, savoring the taste of the food in his mouth. Of all the things he loved about Alfred, his cooking skills were his favorite. He continued to slowly devour the meal Alfred had prepared and relished the flavors of the food. Bruce lifted the glass of lemonade to his lips and downed half the glass.

Feeling warmed by the fire, Bruce laid open the folder for Alfred to read. Inside were the results of the tests he’d run on himself, and the fragments of the building Commissioner Gordon smuggled out to him. While the evidence hadn’t turned up anything yet, the medical results were enough to warrant Bruce returning to the Watch Tower and asking questions.   
  
“Fascinating, Master Bruce. This Metahuman, she healed wounds of yours that were at least five years old. Including your broken arm from last year.” Alfred spoke with amazement in his polished voice.

“I know. I had Diana check our database on the Watchtower, there’s no history of a healing ability like hers. From what we know currently, her name is Claire Astra Kennedy. She’s been a Doctor at Gotham Mercy General Hospital for seven years now. Graduated top of her class from Duke at the age of 20, making her one of the youngest women ever to become a Doctor. Frequently works shifts at the Thomas Wayne Clinic, as well as secretly pays the rent for her apartment’s Security Guard and his family.

She’s a founding member of the band Firestorm. She plays a damn good violin and does the lead vocals too. She owns a pet fox, named Akira that she rescued as a kit. Never had a traffic ticket, never been arrested. Doesn’t drink alcohol. Never done drugs. Stellar reviews from her employers. Parents died while she was in school and used the insurance money to cover her tuition and debts, graduating Medical School debt free. Has run in the Boston Marathon twice, finishing first once.” Bruce listed out all of Claire’s attributes.   
  
“Quite an impressive list, Master Bruce. You think she’s hiding something though, don’t you?” Came Alfred’s usual response in matters like this.   
  
“Actually, Alfred, I don’t. Nothing about her screams ‘look at me! I’m not who I say I am. I’m here to hurt everyone and plan murders. I’m a criminal!’ She sounds like someone who hasn’t always had life easy, and she tries to make the world a little less dark.” Bruce’s baritone voice lilted.

“So, what is the issue then, Master Bruce?” Alfred quipped.   
  
“I’m not used to being helped by a beautiful woman who expects nothing in return.” Bruce confided in the older man.   
  
“All is not lost, Master Bruce. Your secret is safe with me. Is there anything else you require of me, Master Bruce? It has certainly been an eventful day, and I would very much like a non-eventful night of rest.” Alfred quipped back.

“No, that’s all for tonight, Alfred. Thank you. Get some rest. Good night.” Bruce bid the man farewell.   
  
“Good night, Master Bruce.” Alfred bowed slightly, and bade his charge farewell.   
  
Bruce downed the rest of the lemonade and took the tray to the kitchens. He set the dirty dishes in the spacious sink, then turned and bounded his way to his bedchamber to rest for a few hours.    
  
  
~~**~~

 

Onboard the Watchtower, Claire startled awake. Her soft grey eyes moved over her surroundings as she tried to process the events of the day. The lights were rather dim where she was. She was still connected to the monitors that J’onn had used earlier, and she slid a delicate hand under the wires and deftly disconnected them before swinging her legs out of the bed and landing on the floor.   
  
She held her hand out in front of her, palm up, and willed her power to form a radiant ball of light in the upturned palm. The softball sized sphere cast a pale golden light over the area near her. She could finally make out medical beds and monitors and she realized she was in a medical bay. She flicked her hand upwards and the ball of light hovered above her head, freeing her hand.   
  
She turned and started to make her way out of the room, when someone stirred in the chair nearest her bed. The light fell softly on Diana’s face, gently rousing her from her sleep. Claire’s breath caught in her lungs.   
  
Diana stretched, her lithe body lengthening and she rolled her head around her shoulders. She blinked her azure eyes a few times and sat forward in the chair, fixing her gaze on Claire’s bed. Diana sensed that something was amiss.   
  
“Computer, raise lights.” Fear seeped into her voice.   
  
The lights gently brightened in the room, revealing Claire standing at the foot of the bed. She immediately relaxed upon seeing Diana watching her. She crawled onto the bed and sat cross-legged on it, looking at Diana earnestly.   
  
“Hello Wonder Woman.” Claire spoke calmly.   
  
“Please, Claire, call me Diana. It’s so good to see you awake. If you don’t mind me asking, what is that ball of light? It’s beautiful!” Diana spoke with wonder.   
  
“Alright, Diana. This is just part of what I can do. If I focus enough I can make the spheres bigger. This is just what I normally create when I need a small amount of light. It’s enough I can see in the dark well, but not enough it bothers others. Where am I? How long have I been out? Is Bruce alright?” Came Claire’s calm questioning voice.   
  
Just then, Clark strode into the room, bearing a tray of various foods. He smiled brightly upon seeing Claire awake and alert. He quickly closed the distance between them, and gently set the tray down near her.   
  
“We weren’t sure what you’d like to eat, so I went with Diana’s suggestions. Freshly steamed vegetables, fresh fruit, and some grilled chicken. There’s some hot tea as well.” Clark gently explained.   
  
_ “J’onn, are you there?” Clark thought as hard as he could. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Yes, Clark. How can I assist you?” Replied the friendly Martian. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Claire is awake. I hate asking you to invade her thoughts, but we need to know if she’s a friendly or not.” Clark lamented. _ _   
_ _   
_ __ “I understand. I am sure the young woman will understand. I will only read her emotions and surface thoughts to determine if she is being truthful or not.” J’onn stated.   
  
Claire brought the tray of food to her lap, and took a sip of the hot tea. The delicious warmth spread through her body, refreshing her. Her eyes fluttered closed and she smiled.   
  
“Thank you both, so much. This is a lovely meal.” Claire smiled radiantly at them, and began eating.   
  
“As for your questions, Bruce is fine. We took him to Gotham General. They said they’re keeping him overnight for observations, but there was no lasting damage. We’re currently in the Watchtower. This is the base for the Justice League. You’ve been asleep about 12 hours. We of course have some questions for you, if you feel up to them.” Clark gently stated.   
  
Claire swallowed her bite of peach and gently wiped the juice off her lips. She took another drink of the tea, and made the mental reminder to ask who had prepared the beverage. It was fantastic.

“Of course. I’m an open book. I’ve always felt that in life, sometimes it’s better to bare your soul, than to keep secrets. They’ll destroy you after a while.” Claire wisely stated.   
  
“How long have you had powers? What can you do with them? How long have you been on Earth?” Clark rattled off.   
  
J’onn phased through the door, his blue cape swishing gently as he phased back into solid form. He hovered near Claire, slowly examining her. He glanced at her face and was pleased with the resolve she bore.   
  
“I’ve had them since I was 10. That was twenty years ago. I can summon spheres of light of differing sizes, I can heal most wounds, I have healed fatal damage, though it left me in a coma for a week. I can charge the spheres and use them in self-defense, though I don’t have a lot of practice with that. I can bend the light around me to grant me the ability to fly-I can conjure wings. I can strengthen the light and use it like a shield. Sort of like Green Lantern can, but again, out of practice with that. I can shield other people from harm, both physically and mentally, though it’s very taxing for me.” Claire’s gaze shifted between Diana and Clark as she recounted what she can do.   
  
_ “Clark, she is telling the truth so far. As she spoke, I could see the images of times she had used her powers. They are remarkable.” J’onn spoke softly. _ _   
_ _   
_ “I’m not an alien, if that’s what you think, haha. I was born on January 24th, 1971, in Chicago. My Mom’s name was Sage Rose Kennedy. Dad was Christopher Scott Kennedy.” Claire tensed at the mentioning of her parents.   
  
“ _ Clark, be careful with what you say next. Her parents are a painful subject for her to discuss. She is still being completely honest, however.” _ _   
_ __   
“I’m sorry for the intrusion, Claire. We don’t meet too many friendly Metahumans these days.” Clark quickly changed the subject.   
  
“I understand. I appreciate you bringing me here and taking care of me. I don’t mean to sound rude, but if I’m going to be here much longer, is there anyway someone could go to my apartment and feed Akira?” Claire asked calmly.   
  
Diana sat forward and focused her gaze intently on the human before her. She stared at Claire intensely for a few moments. She turned her gaze towards Clark and smiled when she realized he looked confused.   
  
“Akira?” Diana asked.   
  
“She’s my pet fox.” Claire stated politely.   
  
“I think for now, you can go back home. Is there a way for us to contact you?” Clark softly asked.   
  
“I can give you my phone number. I tend to always answer, unless I’m working a shift at the Hospital, then I’ll return your call as soon as I can.” Claire replied gently.   
  


Claire rattled off her phone number and smiled as the heroes memorized the digits. She set tray of empty dishes next to her and stood up. Her gaze fixed on Diana’s soft face.   
  
Diana stood and motioned for Claire to follow her, the two making their way through the Watchtower to the transporter bay. Junior Leaguers paid their respects to the two women as they walked through the halls. As they reached their destination, Diana stopped Claire by placing her hand on the younger woman’s shoulder.   
  
“Claire, I have a feeling that we’ll be contacting you soon. If it comes up for discussion, would you consider joining the League? I do not wish to get your hope up, but this may become a possibility.” Diana softly whispered.   
  
Claire looked at the raven haired beauty with awe on her face.  _ Could I do it? Could I be a superhero? Would they even let me? Claire thought to herself. _   
  
“I need to sleep on it, first. That’s a big decision. I’m not opposed to it, but I’m not entirely for it, either. Is that alright?” Claire sheepishly asked.   
  
“Of course. We want you to be comfortable with the decision. I would be honored to sponsor your membership in the League, if you so chose.” Diana smiled as she spoke.   
  
“Thank you, Diana. For everything.” Claire replied.   
  
Diana typed in the code to activate the controls for the transporter. She bade Claire farwell and activated the machine. She blinked at the now empty transporter bay, where Claire had been just seconds before. Turning on her heel to leave, she bounded into the air and flew to her quarters, eager to rest.   
  
  
~~**~~

  
Claire materialized in her apartment, and immediately tore off her soiled clothes. She darted into the bathroom and turned the shower on, stepping under the torrent of water. Minutes bled into hours as she stood under the now cold water, trying to make sense of the day's events.   
  
She had betrayed her secret to people she didn’t know. She was terrified at the thoughts of what might have happened had she not been in safety when she confided that secret. Tears streamed down her face as she realized that the life she knew was gone now. There was no turning back from this.    
  
She turned off the icy water and stepped out of the shower. She grabbed her favorite blue towel and dried off. Walking the short distance to her closet, she tugged on a grey Tank Top, and a pair of black boy-short style undies. She pulled on a pair of soft grey knit pants that flowed loosely around her legs.    
  
Claire walked into her living room, and prepared a meal for Akira. A small bowl of dry fox feed, mixed with some banana slices and apple chunks. She set the bowl of food down on the dining mat and refilled her water bowl with fresh water.    
  
Claire grabbed the remote to her TV and curled up in her favorite chair. The grey Chaise lounger had been a gift from her favorite Professor for graduating so early. She tugged the micro-fleece blanket from the back and draped it over herself while turning on the TV.   
  
The news stations were reporting the same details about the explosions in different variations to make it seem like new information was being presented. She flicked through the channels before settling on a sci-fi show she had little interest in. Soon Akira had finished her meal and climbed up to snuggle with Claire.   
  
As the show droned on, Claire started drifting to sleep. The warmth from her beloved Arctic Fox lulled her into a comfortable state. Hours passed by as Claire dozed semi-peacefully.   
  
She was rudely awoken by Akira barking unusually. Claire sat upright and looked at the beautiful white fox who was barking at the shadows. Her hackles were raised and her head was low to ground. She stood protectively between the darkness and Claire.   
  
“Akira, calm down, girl. What’s the matter?” Claire tried to reassure her.   
  
“I’m the matter, Ms. Kennedy.” Came the dark, growling voice.   
  
Claire gasped at the intruder in her private sanctuary. She cast a sideways glance towards the still open balcony and cursed herself for forgetting to lock it. She summoned an orb of light and threw it towards the direction the voice had come. The orb hit it’s target and Claire stared in awe at Batman.


	6. Decisions

Chapter 6

  
  
  


Bruce growled intensely as the brilliant orb of light hit him square in the chest, knocking him back a few feet. The white slits of cowled eyes narrowed even further as he set his intimidating gaze on Claire. He dodged the next ball of light that was hurtling towards his face.   
  
“Why in the name of fucking seven hells are you in my apartment?” Claire bellowed.   
  
“Why are you in my city?” Batman growled back.   
  
“I’ve lived here for ten  _ years _ . I work here. This is my home.” Claire shot back.   
  
“That doesn’t matter. There isn’t enough room in this city for a pathetic superhero wannabe.” Batman fired back as insultingly as he could.   
  
“Pathetic? Just who the hell asked you for your opinion of me!” Claire yelled. 

 

She drew her hands together in front of her and released her hold on her power. Between her palms a ball of light was spinning rapidly in every direction it could. As it spun, the ball grew larger and larger, becoming the size of a basketball.   
  
She turned her fury towards Batman and loosed the ball towards his chest. He landed on his back as the force of the light sphere connected with his broad chest. Where the orb had struck, there were burn marks on his uniform.    
  
Bruce lay gathering his breath on the floor. The force of the blast impressed him. He groaned slightly as he pulled his body up. He fixed his gaze on Claire again and growled as menacingly as he could.   
  
He loosed a batarang from his belt and expertly threw it in her direction. He stared awestruck as he watched a golden barrier form in front of her that prevented the batarang from reaching its target. Frustration swelled on her face.   
  
“Get. Out. You aren’t welcome here, Batman. I don’t know what your problem is with me.” Claire huffed, the strain of maintaining her shield wearing on her.   
  
Realizing that she wasn’t going to easily concede, Bruce jaunted out of the window and fired off his grappling gun soaring away. He set down on a roof a few blocks away and stared back in her direction. She was beautiful, fierce, and strong willed. He was impressed with her slight display of combat skills. He idly thumbed the burn marks on his uniformed chest and smiled at the realization of just how intense her blasts of light were. Mentally making the note to never get on her bad side, he again leapt away into the night ready to start his patrol of Gotham.   
  
~~**~~   
  
Claire collapsed on her lounge chair and huffed her breath gently. Akira clambered up into her lap and nuzzled her neck, trying to calm her down. Claire ran her fingers through Akira’s silvery-white fur, drawing comfort from her companion.   
  
She gazed at the Batarang Batman had thrown at her, remarking its craftsmanship. She gently scooped Akira up into her arms and sauntered off to her bed. She laid Akira down on the soft comforter and tossed the Batarang on her nightstand. She circled around the spacious bed and locked the Balcony doors. She made rounds through her apartment verifying all the windows and access points were shut and locked.   
  
Claire made her way back to her nightstand and sat her phone into her stereo dock, flicking through her music. Settling on an album of her own, she sat down on the floor and drew her legs into the lotus position. She steadied her breath and worked through meditating.   
  
After an hour, she finally felt mentally calm and climbed into bed, snuggling with Akira. She tossed and turned in her sleep, unable to rest. She could feel something calling to her, urging her to follow her heart.    
  
~~**~~   
  
Clark strode into the large briefing room with a tray of coffee for the Founders. It was Monday, their weekly day for Founders Meetings. He knew most of the Leaguers hated the dragged out conference, but he felt it was absolutely essential for order.   
  
Diana was sitting in her usual chair, eyeing the League members as they made their way into the meeting. She stood up and took her cup of coffee off the tray, smiling at her cherished mug. The golden colored mug had been a birthday gift from Clark. It read “World’s Best Princess” in black print. She withdrew to her seat and turned on her tablet computer, ready to read the agenda for the meeting.

 

The remainder of the League members filed in. John and Shayera were both smiling at each other as they walked together. Bruce sulked into the room in his usual fashion, glaring at anyone in his way. As he passed by the tray of coffee, a gauntleted hand snatched a cup from the tray with near superspeed. He brought the hot drink to his lips and savored the coffee as he slowly drank the beverage.   
  
“Good morning. Looks like everyone’s here. We have a few new things to discuss that I would like everyone’s honest input on.

 

“If you could please turn to the agenda, you’ll see that the first order of business is Claire Kennedy. As you all know, Claire is the Metahuman that healed Bruce’s injuries. Bruce, how are you doing?” Clark spoke clearly.   
  
Batman turned his cold gaze on the Boy Scout. Drawing his cowled eyes into an intense stare, he tried to bore a hole through the Kryptonian’s skull. Resigning himself to his fate, he sat back in his cushioned chair.   
  
“I’m fine, Clark. I’ve made the reports available, per our discussion. I don’t know how - or why she healed me, but she did.” Bruce growled out intimidatingly.   
  
“Are we sure she didn’t do anything weird to you, Bats? I saw her, she’s pretty hot. I wonder if I can get a date with her?” Wally rambled off.   
  
Everyone turned their gaze towards their scarlet speedster. Batman tried to drill holes through his skull with his eyes given the audacity of the statement he mutted. Diana and Clark equally frowned.   
  
“What’d I do this time, guys?” Wally feigned ignorance.   
  
“Regardless of her romantic availability, Diana and I have talked about her joining the League. We could use someone with her talents on our side.” Clark diverted the conversation back to the topic at hand.   
  
“No.” Came Bruce’s firm reply.   
  
“I think it’s a wonderful idea, Batman. I am willing to sponsor her membership personally.” Diana softly stated.   
  
“Again, Princess, no. She’s a liability. We don’t know anything about her. We don’t even know what she can or can’t do.” Bruce responded aggressively.   
  
“Batman, we can test her abilities here. You can be in charge of that if you’d like. It still comes up to a vote, though.” Clark calmly stated.   
  
Bruce growled again and sat back in his chair casting his glance sideways at the other Founders. He pulled his phone free from his belt and scrolled through the messages displaying on the screen. One particularly caught his attention.   
  
Standing to excuse himself, he glared at Clark. His black cape flowed behind him gently as it dragged against the tile flooring. His cowled eyes fixated on Clark’s ocean-blue eyes.   
  
“My vote, is no. I trust you don’t need me here anymore. I have a business deal I need to attend to.” Bruce flippantly cast out before storming out of the Founders Meeting.

 

“Thank you for your vote, Bruce. The result will be emailed to you.” Clark yelled after him.   
  
The rest of the Founders stared slightly in awe at their companion. Diana sat on the edge of her chair and placed her hands on the table in front of her. She kept glancing at the door, half expecting Bruce to storm back in.   
  


“Does anyone else have any concerns about Claire? Or about her abilities?” Clark gently asked.

 

“I didn’t meet her, or see just what she did, but I trust the two of you to inform us about all of this. My vote is yes. We could benefit greatly from someone with her talents and knowledge.” Shayera gently affirmed.   
  
John sat back in her chair and held Shay’s hand gently. The Thanagarian squeezed his hand softly, giving him a sign that she expected his answer. A small smile formed on the former Marine’s face.   
  
“I agree with Shay. She’s a brilliant woman from what Bruce found out. We could use her as a Doctor too. But with healing abilities, that could prove invaluable in the field.” John spoke.   
  
“I concur. I do not have trouble treating Bruce or John’s or other human League member’s injuries, but it would be prudent if I could focus solely on Alien or Non-Human members, allowing Claire to focus on our Human members. I would enjoy working with an intellectual such as Claire. She has a great deal of knowledge I would like to learn from.” J’onn intoned.

 

“Wally, that just leaves your opinion. Please stick to the topic at hand.” Clark chided softly.   
  
“I’d do anything to get into her social circle! She’s a total hottie. I’m totally her type! We could use her though. I’ll agree to that.” Wally stated.   
  
“She’s out of your league,  _ Wallace _ . Drop it.” Batman growled out through the speakers in the room.    
  


Wally jumped out of his chair and clung to the back of Diana’s, trying to hide from Batman’s voice. He was quivering slightly, while the rest of the members laughed at Bruce’s sudden intrusion to the meeting. Wally peered up towards the speakers, while peeking his head out.   
  
“Have you been listening to us this entire time, Batman?” Diana spoke clearly.   
  
“You should know by know Princess, I’m never not listening. I’m Batman. I know  _ everything. _ ” Bruce replied.   
  
“Does that mean you’ve changed your vote?” Clark asked softly.   
  
“No,  _ Kent, _ I does not mean that I changed my vote. It’s still no.” Bruce replied coldly.   
  
“Well, I am sorry to inform you that the remaining members have voted in favor of her joining the League. 6-1. We’ll have Diana draft the paperwork since she’s agreed to Sponsor her Membership.” Clark smiled as he spoke.   
  
“Bruce, would you be willing to assist me in setting up tests for her? I’ll work some time into everyone’s schedule to start working on training her, once we’ve assessed what she can do.” Diana’s warm voice called out.   
  
“Fine, Princess. You’ll owe me for this though. We can trade - I’ll set up the training and you can take my Monitor shifts for a week.” Bruce growled out.   
  
“If that is what it takes, so be it.” Diana again spoke calmly.   
  
“Then it’s settled. Claire will officially be offered a position in the League.” Clark smiled brightly.   
  
Clark cast his gaze around the room and could tell his friends were genuinely supportive of this decision.It delighted him to see them smiling and happy. He had grown fond of the Senior League members during their time together.   
  
“That’s the end of the meeting everyone. I don’t have anything else to add. If you need me, Lois and I will be in Gotham for the next few days covering the WayneEnterprises story. Bruce, if you haven’t had lunch yet, would you like to join us?” Clark asked.   
  
“Yeah, that would be nice. I could honestly use a break from this pandemonium. Lois still loves Italian, right?” Bruce dropped his Batman persona as he spoke.   
  
“Heh, yeah, she does. You know a place?” Clark laughed as he responded.   
  
“Not so much know as own a place. Where are you staying? I’ll pick you up at noon.” Bruce chuckled a little.   
  
“The Royal Hotel. The Planet’s paying for us to stay here, and since Lois is pregnant, she goaded them into letting her be comfortable.” Clark spoke softly.   
  
“Great. See you both then.” Bruce called out firmly.   
  
Clark dismissed the members from the meeting and rushed to his quarters, eager to change and get to lunch with his wife and Bruce. He dressed in a simple blue button-up shirt and dark slacks. He gently put on his glasses and restyled his hair before leaving and transporting down to Gotham.


	7. So It Begins

Chapter 7

  
  


Claire was roused out of sleep by her phone ringing. She deftly grabbed the device and glanced at the screen. Seeing an unfamiliar number, she hesitated to answer before changing her mind. She accepted the call and brought the device to her ear.   
  
“Hello? Who is this?” Claire asked gently.   
  
“Good morning Claire. It’s Diana. Would you like to join some of us for Lunch?” Diana spoke softly.   
  
Claire stole a furtive glance at her watch. She was dismayed to see that it was nearly noon. She scrubbed her hand over her face to clear the fog in her brain.   
  
“That would be lovely. Give me a few moments to get ready?” Claire questioned.   
  
“Of course. We can pick you up in twenty minutes, if that’s acceptable?” Diana asked.   
  
“Wonderful. See you then!” Claire exclaimed.   
  
Claire disconnected the call, and tossed the phone next to her in bed. She threw the blankets off her lithe frame and heaved herself out of bed. She stumbled slightly towards the Bathroom, eager to take one of the quickest showers of her life.   
  
The water in the shower surged around her body. She felt the final dregs of fog lift from her mind. She sped through her shower routine. Claire turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. She haphazardly dried herself, and ran her detangling comb through her long tresses.   
  
She quickly braided her hair, expertly weaving her honey-colored hair into a beautiful braid. She closed the distance between her closet and the bathroom and pulled out a simple Mint green knee-length dress. Claire tugged a simple white bra and panties before pulling the dress over her frame.   
  
She slipped on a comfortable pair of white Converse and tossed a few essentials into her smaller satchel. She delicately fastened her watch to her wrist and glanced at the display. Five minutes until Diana was picking her up.

Claire’s thoughts endlessly swirled in her brain. The more she thought about joining the League, the more she felt sure she was making the right decision. But would the League even want her? Batman was a known member of the League and their initial meeting had been less than stellar.    
  
She felt immense relief at being able to not hide who she truly was from anyone though. Her greatest passion and drive in life was to save other people. It’s the reason she’d become a Doctor in the first place. Claire wanted to do good in the world. Wouldn’t being in the League grant her that? The very idea of revealing her truest secret to the League terrified her, but also liberated her. 

Claire idly walked to where Akira was resting and threaded her fingers through the fox’s silver fur. She scratched her just behind her shoulder blades, Akira’s favorite spot. The small fox began wagging her tail as her human gave her some much needed attention.    
  
Claire withdrew her hand and filled Akira’s bowl with a mixture of fresh boiled chicken, mangoes, berries, and sweet potatoes. She drew the carafe of water off the shelf and refilled her water dish. It’d been eight years since Claire rescued Akira and she loved her small friend. She felt the all-too familiar buzz of her cellphone in her satchel and expertly fished the small device out of the bag. She glanced at the display before accepting the call.   
  
“This is Claire Kennedy. How may I assist you?” Claire asked gently.   
  
“Hiya Ms. Claire, there’s a lovely bunch of visitors down here asking for you. Does the name Diana Prince mean anything to you?” Scott asked sheepishly.   
  
“Yes, Scott. She’s a new business colleague. Thank you, I’ll be right down.” Claire replied softly.   
  
She disconnected the call and quickly bade Akira farewell before exiting her apartment and heading downstairs. Butterflies flitted around her stomach. Claire internally wondered who’d be at lunch.

The elevator chimed and the large doors parted, revealing the very normal looking Wonder Woman, dressed in a simple T-Shirt and jeans. With her was a formidable looking African, Hawkgirl, and a Red-headed male. Claire’s interest was piqued as she tried in vain to recognize the two men.   
  
Diana swiftly closed the distance between Claire and herself. She ever so gently scooped Claire’s hands into hers and kissed her gently on her cheek. While she towered over the smaller woman, she tried her best to radiate peace to Claire.   
  
“Good afternoon Claire. So lovely of you to join us for lunch today. I’d like to introduce you to my friends. Hawkgirl, known better as Shayera Hol, John Stewart, and Wally West.” Diana motioned to each as she called their names out.   
  
Wally promptly closed in on Claire, eager to introduce himself more formally. His emerald eyes shone brightly. His short red hair was tousled.   
  
“Wally West, Forensic Scientist with the Central City Police Department.  Enchanté. ” He gracefully said, while kissing Claire’s hand.   
  
Claire stole a glance at John who was scowling deeply and rolling his eyes. She brought her gaze back to Wally’s eyes and bowed her head ever so slightly and drew her hand back. Her steel colored eyes shone with a radiant fire in them.   
  
“Le plaisir est pour moi, Monsieur Ouest.” Claire replied in kind. She smiled brightly as she spoke.   
  
“Wally, if you’re done with your schmooze fest, do you mind if we get going?” Shayera quipped to the young man.   
  
Diana ushered everyone outside and into the beautiful sapphire blue Audi Q7. Her Identification Card from her Museum job swung loosely around the rear-view mirror. She slid into the Driver’s seat, motioning for Claire to join her up front.

As the rest of the group filed into the vehicle, Claire started nervously playing with the hem of her dress. She cast her gaze out onto the streets of Gotham as Diana began driving. Wally was seated directly behind her and leaned towards her, trying to catch her attention.   
  
“So, Claire, tell us about you! Like long walks on the beach? Moonlit strolls? Ever been outside of Gotham? Where’s your favorite place to eat?” Wally rapidly questioned.   
  
Claire smiled a little to herself before resigning to her fate of answering the questions.It had been a long while since she had actively paid any attention to the advances of a man interested in her. She frankly kept herself too busy with work to date.   
  
“The beach does have its merits, but I’ve always preferred intimate dates over going out somewhere. Gotham isn’t exactly the best city for a moonlit walk, though, back in college I was an extreme night-owl. Still am, I suppose. I was born in Chicago, but I’ve lived here in Gotham for almost 11 years now. Before that, North Carolina.” Claire brightly spoke.   
  
Diana expertly wove the Audi through the lunch rush of traffic in Gotham. She navigated them to a very small Greek restaurant. She pulled around back and parked her beloved car in the shade of a silverbell tree.

The gang climbed out of the car, and Wally graciously opened Claire’s door, eager to make a first impression on her. He extended his hand and smiled when Claire accepted the gesture of assistance. Wally gently helped her out of the large SUV, and quickly flanked her.   
  
“What made you pick a city like Gotham to live in? I hear they’ve got a bat problem.” Wally jokingly asked.   
  
“My job. I was offered the position of Chief Resident during my Residency. Held it for four years, during my General Surgery Residency. Gotham Mercy Grace General allowed me to do a triple Residency. I’m certified in General Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Internal Medicine.” Claire wisely stated.   
  
“You must be very intelligent, Ms. Kennedy. An admirable quality. It is even more admirable to see an academic such as yourself so passionate about their line of work.” Diana calmly spoke.   
  
Claire blushed slightly, a rosy pink color flushing across her cheeks. She continued to walk next to Wally as they made their way inside the small Greek eatery. Her nose was assaulted by the swirling aromas of traditional Greek foods.   
  
The look on Diana’s face was near rapture as she relished in taking in the smells of the restaurant. Diana moved the group to the small, private dining hall. As the waiter made his way to Diana she greeted him in flawless Greek and proceeded to order for everyone. As he left, with order in hand, Diana shut the doors to the room, and sat down.   
  
“I ordered our usual meal. The food here is wonderful Claire.” Diana smiled happily as she addressed the younger woman.   
  
Shayera navigated around the table and sat with her wings against the wall. She extended them, and smiled as John assisted her with scratching an itch on her left wing. Her soft copper colored hair flowed around her loosely, and her emerald eyes were  lighter than Wally’s, like a meadow on a summer day.   
  
“Thank you. That’s been irritating me all damn day.” She uttered under her breath.   
  
“You’re welcome.” John spoke, his voice rough.   
  
There was a soft rasp on the door and Diana again spoke flawlessly, allowing the waiter entrance to their quiet meeting. He set out bowls of fresh Pita and Hummus. A young girl carried a tray of water and bowls of freshly sliced lemons. She delicately navigated the small room and placed each glass in front of their respective owner.   
  
She bowed on her way out and waited for the waiter to leave before again shutting the door. Diana shifted her focus to Claire who was silently eating a small portion of bread and hummus. Everyone was getting along nicely.   
  
“So, Claire, I know you’re aware of who I am. Aleixo is a friend to the Justice League. Have you figured out who John and Wally are yet?” Diana asked freely.   
  
Claire swallowed her bite of food, and took a chaste sip of water before speaking. “John is Green Lantern, and Wally is The Flash.”   
  
“Aww man. I wanted it to be a surprise!” Wally groaned.   
  
“Before we continue is there anything we should know? Anything at all?” Diana smiled as she asked the questions.   
  
“Well, the night after the explosion, Batman came to my apartment. He was very perturbed that I was in the city. I still need to clean the burn marks off my wall. He left a Batarang. Kind of threw it at my face.” Claire frowned.   
  
“Haha, the Bat is crazy afterall. What did he say?” John finally smiled.   
  
“That Gotham wasn’t big enough for the both of us, and that Gotham didn’t need another pathetic, washed up Superhero trying to help. I launched an orb at his chest, knocked him on his butt.” Claire smiled proudly.   
  
“No kidding? I think I’m gonna like you.” Shayera grinned.   
  
“I see. That’s not surprising, unfortunately. Batman is very… unique. The Founders had a meeting about you this morning, Claire. The motion was made to offer you a position in the League. It passed 6-1.” Diana bore her gaze on the young girl as she spoke.   
  
“Oh. That’s. Wow.” Claire stammered.   
  
Diana fished the paperwork out of her satchel and passed it to Claire with a pen. “We understand if you’re uncomfortable with this, but we are very excited to have you join us.”   
  
Claire took the documents and sped through reading them. She hadn’t graduated at the age of 20 without merit. She was an expert speed reader. She signed the documents and passed them back to Diana.   
  
“I accept. When do I start?” Claire stated boldly.


	8. And Baby Makes Three?

Chapter 8   
  
  
  


Bruce sat idly at the table maintaining light conversation with Clark. He swore he caught a glimpse of Claire as Diana’s Audi passed the restaurant. Surely they weren’t initiating Claire into the League already, were they?   
  
Lois slowly ambled her way back to the table and gingerly set down again. Clark was quick to hand her the bottle of Tylenol from her purse. His glasses slipped down the bridge of his nose, and he awkwardly pushed them back up.   
  
“Any day now Kent. Any day now. I hate you for doing this to me, you know that right, Smallville?” Lois glared at her husband.   
  
“Yes, Lois, I do. Hate me all you want, I can’t wait to meet our little one. Ma’s gonna be so happy, you know that.” Clark softly spoke, while massaging Lois’ back ever so gently.   
  
Bruce laughed to himself and continued spearing his steak and devouring it. “I don’t envy you at all Clark. Sleepless nights, cranky wife, no offense, Lois. How are you going to manage all of that?”   
  
“Well, when you love someone enough to agree to spend your life with them, you’ve already made the agreements to always support them. She’s pregnant, this is completely reasonable behavior. Someday, when you’re old Bruce, you’ll look back and realize what you missed out on.” Clark wisely said.   
  
“If you say so, Kent. How long will you both be in town? You’re welcome to come stay at the Manor. Alfred would love the company, and I’m sure it’s much more comfortable than the Royal.” Bruce genuinely stated.   
  
“Really? We’ll be here for another few weeks covering the story. Lois is due in a month, so we’re hoping to be done by then. We couldn’t impose on you for that long.” Clark said.   
  
“Nonsense. I’ll call Alfred once we’re done. He’ll arrange everything. I’ll have my masseuse come over for Lois after lunch, my treat. Svetlana is wonderful.” Bruce calmly stated.   
  
“Thank you Bruce. Really, thank you.” Lois whimpered slightly as she spoke.   
  
Their unborn child was battering Lois’ ribs and back endlessly. Common problem when your child is half Kryptonian. She twirled her fork through her Fettuccine and ate slowly.   
  
“So, rumor has it that you’re going to be hosting a benefit gala for the families affected by the explosions. Sounds like a party.” Clark indifferently stated.   
  
“It was Alfred’s idea. We’re hoping to get Firestorm to play the event. Black Tie affair. Lots of free booze and women to socialize with. There’s going to be a silent auction as well, with the money going directly into a Survivor’s Fund to help the survivors live on. Once the building is reopened, we’ll be offering any living survivors their jobs back immediately, with a substantial sign-on bonus to help as well. Of course as the exclusive coverage for the event, you’ll both be invited.” Bruce droned on, effectively slipping deeper into his party-boy persona.

“That sounds completely boring, but we’ll be there.” Lois stated.   
  
She winced in pain and exhaled sharply. Her hand shot to her back and she whimpered as another wave of pain surged through her body. Her breath caught in her lungs as the pain dissipated.   
  
“Lois, what’s wrong?” Clark asked genuinely, concern thick in his voice.   
  
“Lois, it’s been a minute from the last wave of pain. I think you’re having early contractions.” Bruce stated matter of factly.   
  
Lois’ azure eyes bore into Bruce’s soul as she stared at him incredulously. Panic flashed through her eyes as his words finally registered in her exhausted brain. The baby wasn’t due for another month, though she’d welcome the reprieve from the pain.   
  
“Are you sure, Bruce?” Clark worriedly asked.

“I’d stake my fortune on it. Lois needs a hospital. Now.” Bruce replied.   
  
“Gotham General - agh!” Lois screamed in agony, causing the patrons to glare at her.   
  
“Can you stand, Lo?” Clark fumbled his words as panic wracked his thoughts.   
  
“I-I-I think so. God damn, it hurts.” Lois whimpered as a few tears escaped her eyes.   
  
Bruce grabbed his cell phone fast enough, Wally would have been impressed. As he dialed the number for Gotham General, his mind was racing, plotting out the best way to cross the streets. He was concerned for his friends.    
  
“Gotham General. This is Tiffany, how may I direct your call?” The receptionist answered mechanically polite.   
  
“Doctor Claire Kennedy, is she on shift today?” Bruce growled as he led Lois and Clark through the restaurant to his Mercedes.   
  
“I’m afraid not, sir. She’s on vacation currently. Is your wife, or girlfriend a patient of hers? If so, I can give you the number for her answering service, if it’s a medical emergency.” Tiffany replied.   
  
“Yes, my sister is, she’s going into labor. I’ll take the number if you don’t mind. Thank you.” Bruce replied sweetly.   
  
Tiffany typed a few keystrokes and pulled the number for Claire’s Work phone line up. She read the digits off to Bruce, repeating them.   
  
“Thank you Tiffany.” Bruce ended the call, and immediately dialed Claire’s phone number.   
  
After a few rings he heard laughter and Shayera on the other line.  _ She’s at lunch, with the League? Fucking hell.  _ Bruce heard the muffled attempts of someone choking back food clearing their throat to speak.   
  
“You’ve reached Claire Kennedy, what’s the nature of your medical emergency?” Claire’s positively radiant voice oozed like warm honey.   
  
“Ms. Kennedy, this is Bruce Wayne, the hospital gave me this number.” He smiled as he heard Shayera tease Claire about his call.   
  
“I see, Mr. Wayne. This is unfortunately my  _ business  _ line, so unless you’re a patient at the Thomas Wayne Clinic, or miraculously giving birth, you’ll have to wait until you see me again for a social call.” Claire indignantly fired back.   
  
“This happens to be a medical call, Ms. Kennedy. I’m dining with Lois Lane, and it appears she’s gone into premature labor. As one of Gotham’s highest rated OB/Gyns I was calling in hopes I could convince you to help.” Bruce growled out.   
  
“I understand. Are you in route to the hospital?” Claire gently replied, all humor out of her voice.   
  
“We’ll be there in 10 minutes.” Bruce glanced in the rearview mirror as Lois screamed in agony again.   
  
“I see. When you arrive go straight to the L&D Unit, ask for Dr. Samantha Ward, she’s my colleague, she’ll assist you until I arrive.” Claire spoke matter-of-factly.

Bruce hung up and tossed the phone onto the passenger’s seat as he floored the sleek black car through the streets of Gotham. Lois’ contractions had quickened to every 1-2 minutes, yet she was still screaming in agony. Bruce concentrated on navigating as Clark attempted his best to sooth his wife.   
  
~*~*~*~*~

Claire threw her phone into her purse, and jolted up from the table. Diana reached a cool hand towards her to halt her movements, but the smaller woman deftly escaped her grasp.   
  
“I’m really sorry. That was Bruce Wayne, he’s bringing Lois Lane into Gotham General, she’s apparently going into labor. He asked for me specifically, I’ve got to go.” Claire stated as she started to leave the room.   
  
“Claire, we’re going with you. Lois is married to Clark Kent, a dear friend of ours. I’ll come back for my car later. I’ll fly you over to the hospital.” Diana calmly stated.   
  
“By friend, may I assume colleague?” Claire quipped softly.   
  
Diana placed hand on the small of Claire’s back, and drew the smaller woman to her frame as they exited the building. She bounded into the air, urging herself to fly as fast as she could towards the hospital. She cast her glance behind her and smiled as Shayera and John were following.   
  
Within moments the group arrived at Gotham General. Claire hurriedly pulled her I.D. from her purse and darted inside the expansive hospital. Diana and the others struggled to keep a pace with the doctor as she expertly wove her way through the halls of the hospital and made her way to the Doctor’s Lounge..   
  
Claire fished her phone from her purse, and speed-dialed Sam. As the phone rang she opened her locker and pulled out her spare set of heather grey scrubs, and her beat up Skechers. She could tell by the sounds on the other end of the phone that things weren’t going well. Sam’s growl instead of her normal hello further cemented that thought in her head.   
  
“Sam, I’m changing right now, I’ll be up in just a minute.” Claire blurted out as she hung up and threw her purse into her locker and slammed the door.   
  
She pulled the tail of her braid up into a messy bun, and dashed out of the lounge towards the 7th floor, where the Maternity Ward is located. As she bounded up the stairs she could distinctly hear voices yelling.   
  
“Ms. Lane, please, calm down. Take a breath, we’re doing everything we can to keep you calm.” Sam barked out.   
  
“Take your sunshine and shove it up your ass! Gah!” Lois cried out in pain.   
  
Claire ran down the hall, following the cacophony of voices. Her cheeks were lightly flushed from running through the building. The elevator chimed softly and Claire cast a furtive glance towards the noise, smiling when the League members stepped out and started walking towards her. She knocked on the door and entered, taking a steadying breath before she began to speak.   
  
“Hi Lois. I’m Doctor Claire Kennedy. Bruce requested I take you as a patient. I need you to know that I’m the best OB/Gyn here, and I’ll do everything I can to ensure you and your child are safe and taken care of, but I need you to be patient with me and the staff, alright?” Claire radiated serenity and calmness as she spoke.   
  
“Thank you. It hurts. My god, the pain hurts.” Lois whimpered softly.   
  
“How far apart are your contractions? Do you have a birth plan?” Claire asked.   
  
She began looking at Lois’ vitals, and frowned slightly while noticing her blood pressure. She pulled her stethoscope to her ears and slid the diaphragm under the blood pressure cuff and manually checked Lois’ blood pressure again. Claire frowned again deeper.

“Lois, have you ever had low blood pressure? Has your blood pressure been low the entire pregnancy?” Claire asked softly.

“Uhm, no. It’s been around 115/70 my entire pregnancy. They’re about 6 minutes apart, and no, we don’t have a birth plan. Is it too late to get an Epidural?” Lois laughed slightly.   
  
“Not at all. Sam, can you call Dmitri and get him in here? No one else. If they try and send up Patience, tell them to run, because I’ll come down there and make hell.” Claire growled out.   
  
Claire grabbed the Ultrasound cart and wheeled it over to Lois. She fired up the machine and started probing around Lois’ womb. Her suspicions were soon confirmed as the images on the monitor came to life.   
  
“Sam, tell Dmitri it’s an emergency. He needs to get here, now!” Claire yelled.   
  
“Claire? What’s wrong?” Sam asked cautiously.   
  
“Lois, your blood pressure is currently 80/60. I believe you’re bleeding internally. The ultrasound confirmed that. Dr. Ward is corralling our best Anesthesiologist. Once he gets here, we’ll get you an epidural and see if we can deliver your little one. I’d like to get an IV started on you now to start getting you some fluids though, and a dose of Pitocin to help your contractions along, alright?” Claire spoke as calmly as she could.   
  
As if on cue, Nikki, one of Claire’s favorite nurses slid into the room. She immediately prepped and started an IV on Lois. She hung the bag of saline and started the flow of fluids.   
  
“Dmitri’s on his way up, shall we get started?” Sam asked.   
  
“Yeah, Nikki just placed the IV. We’re good to go.” Claire returned.   
  
“Aww, you started the party without me?” Dmitri laughed warmly.    
  
The tall Croat glided into the room. His soft amber eyes shone like the setting sun. He immediately walked to Lois’ side and started comforting her. His scrub cap covered his chocolatey brown hair, and his mask was around his chin.   
  
“Ladies, I believe our guest of honor is ready to proceed. I’m getting the epidural started now.” Dmitri stated.   
  
“Alright, non-essential people need to clear the room. There’s a waiting room out the door, to your left, four doors down.” Sam called out.   
  
The League members all stood and bade their farewells and well wishes to Clark and Lois as they exited the room. Clark took his position on Lois’ left. Claire glanced at Dmitri as he was pinching Lois’ leg, testing for her ability to feel the pain. Sam sat, watching the Ultrasound and Fetal monitors as Claire positioned herself at Lois’ feet.  
  
“Alright, Lois, Clark, talk to me. Tell me about your little one. Do you have any names picked out?” Claire asked gently.   
  
“Well, if it’s a boy, we thought of naming him after our fathers. Samuel Jonathan Kent, or Jonathan Samuel Kent. For a girl, Lara Ella Kent. My biological mother’s name was Lara.” Clark stated somberly.   
  
“They’re both lovely names. We’re going to do everything we can to ensure both you and your little one are safe, Lois. I don’t mean to alarm you, however, I’m afraid I don’t have positive news. Your placenta has torn slightly. It’s a partial abruption.” Claire stated.

“Are they going to be okay?” Clark asked shakily.

“The baby looks great, as best as we can see. As for Lois, once we can get the placenta out and get the bleeding under control she’ll be fine. We’re going to do our best to keep her stable while delivering.” Claire responded.

“Thank you.” Lois replied.   
  
“Claire… if you… have to do anything  _ special _ to save her, please don’t hesitate.” Clark hinted.

“Clark, you can say it. Everyone in this room knows that I’m a meta-human. They’re the only team I work with for a reason.” Claire replied earnestly.

Lois pushed during a contraction and Claire was impressed at the woman’s resolve. She was greeted by the crown of the infant’s head. Sam moved into position to assist.   
  
“Lois, one or two more pushes and you’re doing great.” Sam called out.

Again Lois pushed and Claire kept a watchful eye on the amount of blood flowing around the infant. For now her blood pressure was stable, but it wasn’t increasing either. Claire felt the familiar surge of her power as she focused on it and prepared to loose the shock wave into Lois.

“Lois, push!” Claire yelled.

She pushed a fourth time and the small infant slid into Claire’s outstretched hands. She quickly handed the infant to Sam and prepared for Lois to deliver the placenta. Lois managed to deliver the placenta as her body went slack.

“Shit. Sam!” Claire screamed.

Sam immediately turned and left the infant in the care of Nikki as she rushed back to Claire’s side. Lois’ blood pressure had dropped again. The flow of blood had increased as well.

“Claire…” Clark whimpered

Claire stood and felt her power surge in her chest. Her eyes went ablaze with golden light as her hands started to glow. The torrent of her gift she was channeling was impressive, even to those who had seen her use her gift before. The raw power surging through her nearly overwhelmed her. She placed her hands on Lois’ chest and released her hold on her power.

The golden light radiated through Lois’ body and pulsed throughout the room. Immediately Lois’ blood pressure improved and the flow of blood stopped. Claire felt the familiar tug of feeling faint as she wavered in place slightly. Sam caught her as she fell backwards and quickly laid her on the floor. 

“Holy shit. We’ve worked with Claire for years and that never ceases to amaze me.” Dmitri called out.

“Will she be okay?” Clark asked softly.

“Yeah, with the amount of energy she just expended, she’s exhausted herself. She’s going to need a good rest, but she’ll be okay. I’ll make sure of that.” Sam answered.

Minutes ticked by as Sam and Nikki prepped the infant and handed them to Clark. The baby was wrapped in a soft, neutral colored blanket and matching cap. Nikki turned her attention to Claire.

“It’s a boy, Mr. Kent. Congratulations.” Sam stated.

“Oh, excellent! Lois, it’s a boy!” Clark exclaimed.

“Samuel Jonathan Kent, Smallville.” Lois replied.

Sam filled them in on all of the details about their son’s birth weight and height. She smiled at the two new parents warmly. She assisted Dmitri in helping Claire stand up when she finally came to.

The League members all filed back into the room and greeted the baby warmly. Bruce kept a watchful eye on everyone and noticed that Claire looked completely exhausted. He felt tired just looking at her.

“You did great, Lois. You too, Claire. How are you feeling?” Sam asked softly.

“Weak. Sleep soon.” Claire murmured.

“Claire, thank you. I can’t imagine how hard that was for you.” Lois called out.

“You’re welcome.” Claire murmured again.

“What happened?” Bruce growled.

“Lois crashed, Claire used her powers to save her. Took a lot out of her.” Clark responded.

“Claire, I’ll take you home, if you’d like.” Diana stated softly as she placed a hand on the smaller woman.

“Yes please. I really need to sleep soon.” Claire whimpered.

“Of course. Wally, can you help Claire get her things?” Diana asked softly.

“Yeah, sure, I got this.” Wally stated confidently.

He leaned close to Claire. He was blinded by the smell of her perfume on her skin. The intoxicating smell clouded his thoughts momentarily.

“Where’s the Lounge where your locker is?” Wally whispered faintly.

“First floor, near the Cafeteria. Locker has my name on it. Combination is 42-18-2.”

“Walk with me?” Wally asked softly.

“Mmkay.” Claire replied dazed.

Wally took her hand and ducked into a supply closet. He flew out of the door and returned just a few moments later with her purse. He handed it to the young doctor and placed a steadying hand on her back. He flicked his Communications Unit on and called out to the League.

“We’re in the supply closet in the hall. Claire has her purse, Wondy. Be careful with her. I like her.” Wally stated.

“She’s out of your league, Wallace.” Bruce growled.

Diana knocked on the door and was let inside by Claire. She still seemed a bit dazed and exhausted. Diana quickly embraced the young doctor and escorted her to the rooftop. She wrapped the small doctor in her embrace and bounded into the air towards Claire’s apartment. When they arrived she assisted Claire inside.

“Thank you, Diana. Lunch was wonderful, too.” Claire stated politely.

“You’re welcome. Thank you for saving Lois. Clark is Superman and Lois means the world to him. It was quite fortunate he’s such close friends with Bruce Wayne and he was able to get them to the hospital so swiftly.” Diana replied.

Claire waved farewell to Diana. She watched as the Amazon let herself out through the Balcony. Claire peeled her scrubs off and climbed into bed wearing nothing but her underwear. The sweet relief of sleep quickly overwhelmed her and she passed out.


	9. A Deal With a Devil In Disguise

Chapter 9

 

 

The incessant ringing from Claire’s phone ripped her from her slumber. She hesitantly blinked her bright steel gray eyes a few times and scrubbed her hand down her face. She groaned and fumbled for the annoying device before she succeeded in answering it and bringing it to her ear.

“Hello? Who is this?” Claire asked gently.

“Good morning. I am trying to reach Ms. Astra Rose, of the band Firestorm. This is Caroline Crown. I’m Bruce Wayne’s Secretary. We are arranging a Charity Benefit Gala for the families affected by the explosions, and we are interested in booking your Band to play for the event.” Caroline’s stern voice resounded clearly.

“I see. What date are you having the Benefit? What songs would you like us to perform?” Claire replied earnestly.

“Six weeks from now, December the 18th, at 7 PM. Bruce has requested you play ‘Faded’, ‘Succumb’, ‘Rebirth’, and ‘Maelstorm’. Anything else you play is of your choosing. He is willing to pay you each $250,000 for performing. Are you able to perform in formal evening wear?” Caroline asked.

“Yes, we are. Is there a large enough area for us to perform? Will we have a secure place to store our instruments before the concert?” Claire quipped.

“Indeed. He’s rented the Ballroom at the Royal Hotel. It is being fitted for a stage now. It should be more than adequate for what you require. There will be a locked storage room connected to the stage that the Hotel will provide you a key for. We will also set up a dressing room for you and your members to get ready. Is this acceptable?” Caroline questioned.

“Yeah, that’s great. I’ll contact the boys today and let them know.” Claire replied.

“Then it’s settled. If you could gather the remaining members and come to the satellite office for Wayne Enterprises, we can sign the contract and get everything squared away.” Caroline intoned.

“Thank you for the opportunity. We’ll arrive at 1:00 p.m. today.” Claire replied.

“Great! See you all then.” Caroline smiled as she spoke.

The call disconnected and Claire immediately began reaching out to her band members. She flicked through her contacts list, selecting Callum Levine, Aryn Scott, Reign Kennex, and Julian Harrington. 

“Hey boys, it’s Astra. Got a surprise gig for us. Benefit Gala for the families affected by the explosions at WayneEnterprises. Can I grab y’all for lunch and go sign the papers?” Her text message read.

She set the phone on her small dining table and went about making Akira and herself some breakfast. Soon enough she could hear the repetitive buzz from her cell phone vibrating on the oak table. She stopped slicing the berries she was occupied with and turned her attention to the phone.

Claire thumbed through the responses and saw they all wanted her to pick them up. She sighed slightly, and immediately responded telling them to pick a central location amongst themselves and she’d get them from there. With snow on the ground, she was worried she wouldn’t make the appointment in time.

She flew through getting dressed opting to wear a business suit. The beautifully tailored black garments clung to her body. She decided to wear a steel gray colored blouse and a pair of silver pumps. He pulled her blonde hair into an elegant curled ponytail. She opted for minimal makeup and grabbed her purse before dashing out the door. 

She hurried downstairs and climbed into her Camry before setting off to pick up her boys. She made decent time and managed to avoid colliding with anything due to the snow-slicked streets. Her first stop was to pick up Callum from his office. Hen she entered the atrium of his architecture firm, she was pleasantly surprised to see him waiting for her.

“Hi, Astra.” Callum’s polished English accent purred when he spoke.

“Call! So good to see you!” Claire stated brightly.

 

She smiled when Callum pulled her into his embrace and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She warmly returned the hug and wrapped her arm around his waist. She giggled when he took her hand in his and he spun her around like they were dancing.

“Reign’ll be down in a minute. He’s finishing up a task for me. Are Aryn and Jules ready?” Call inquired.

“I hope so. I’m a bit nervous. I haven’t played professionally in a few years.” Claire stated, with skepticism thick in her voice.

“Claire, my beautiful rose, if you can play half as well as you, did when the band was together, you’ll blow everyone’s socks off.” Callum countered.

“Is Claire doubting herself again, love?” Reign called out from the stairs behind them.

The raven-haired, amethyst-eyed man strode down the expansive stairway located behind the decorative waterfall. He towered over Claire’s five-foot-four height and smiled warmly when he saw her. He pulled Callum into a gentle hug and kissed his husband on the cheek.

“She was. She’s scared she’s forgotten how to play.” Callum laughed.

“Oh, Claire. You were the most talented of us all. But enough of that, how’s work been?” Reign asked gently.

“Ergh. It’s… been. Fighting the good fight every day. Some days it’s hard to get out of bed and know I have to do my best to help people. Then other days I get to save the life of Bruce Wayne.” Claire blushed as she spoke.

Reign winked at her and tapped his right temple lightly. He flashed her a radiant smile and kissed her forehead. He moved to start walking out of the atrium.

“So, tell us about how you saved Mr. Wayne.” Callum stated.

“In the car.” Claire hissed.

“Oh, damn! Reign, did she?” Callum asked.

“So not fair!” Claire huffed.

The trio exited the firm and made their way to Claire’s silver Camry. As they all piled in Claire was blushing furiously. She drew a deep breath to calm her nerves and glanced at Reign in the backseat.

“Claire, dearest, you know I’d never violate your trust.” Reign stated.

“I know. That’s what I love about you. To answer your question, Cal, yes, I did. I had to.” Claire divulged.

“What happened? I mean, what really happened?” Callum asked.

“I was supposed to be on vacation. There were the explosions at WayneEnterprises. Sam called me in a huff and had me double-time it to the scene. It was… chaos by the time I got there. I overheard the executive board talking about how Bruce wasn’t responding to calls, nor had his body been brought out, so they were worried he’d be abducted or had gotten injured.

The Justice League was on site, and I went into the tower to look for Mr. Wayne. Wonder Woman’s a lovely person. Superman helped us locate Mr. Wayne. He was critically injured. According to Superman, more than likely, moving Mr. Wayne would have jeopardized his life. So, I did what I do best. I healed him.” Claire recounted.

“Damn, Claire. You never cease to amaze us.” Callum replied.

“You just like her because she’s got the showy gift.” Reign playfully huffed.

“Mmm, hers is beneficial, but I do rather like having a telepathic husband.” Callum stated.

Claire smiled at their banter and departed from their building. She delicately made her way to Aryn’s mechanic shop. She hopped out of her car and darted inside. 

“Claire Astra Kennedy, how are you?” Aryn softly called out from the office.

“I’m great, Aryn. How are you?” Claire replied.

“Wonderful. Truly wonderful. Life is great, the shop’s doing well, the band is getting back together. I couldn’t ask for more.” Aryn’s soft voice echoed in the small lobby.

“I hate to rush you, but are you almost ready? We’ve gotta get Jules soon.” Claire stated.

“No need to rush. Jules is here. We’re just getting cleaned up, then we’ll be right out.” Aryn called out.

“Okay!” Claire chirped.

She took a few moments to glance around the lobby and smiled at the awards tacked onto the walls. She also caught a glimpse of an article about her being one of Gotham General’s youngest doctors hired in years. She smiled brightly at the article.

“Astra, how’s my favorite foster sister?” Julian called out.

“Your favorite? I thought I was your only sister!” Claire huffed.

“Hey, you know Dad loved you like you were his own. You still working at Gotham General?” Jule’s light voice asked.

“Unless they’ve fired me and haven’t told me yet, I am. You working for Aryn?” Claire asked.

“You know it. Ready to go?” Julian asked.

“Just waiting on you two. Reign and Call are in the car already.” Claire answered.

Julian rounded the corner and waved at Claire. His long hair was currently dyed deep metallic purple. It was bound in an intricate braid that hung down his back. His bright green eyes sparkled when he smiled.

“Aryn’s about done. I swear, our brother would live in grease if it wasn’t for me.” Julian teased.

“He’d be completely happy about that too.” Claire laughed.

Aryn quickly made his way towards Claire and Julian. His medium-length silver hair was styled out of his blue eyes. He pecked Claire on her cheek and ducked out of the shop towards her car.

Claire and Julian followed and soon the band was on their way to WayneEnterprises satellite office. Claire expertly navigated the streets of Gotham and arrived fifteen minutes before their appointment. As Claire navigated towards the expansive parking garage, she rifled through her purse for her ID. As she turned into the garage she was stopped by a security guard.

 

“Good afternoon, ma’am. May I see your ID, please?” The guard asked.

“Of course.” Claire answered.

She handed the thin plastic card to the guard and watched as he keyed her details into the computer. Minutes passed before he returned and Claire was starting to worry. When he finally returned he had a smile on his face as he handed Claire her ID.

“Welcome to WayneEnterprises Dr. Kennedy. You’re free to park on floors three and above. Once you’ve parked, take the elevator down to the first floor. Look for Mari, she’ll be the redhead at the desk. She can direct you to Mr. Wayne’s office.” The guard called out.

“I see. Thank you.” Claire stated sweetly.

She tossed the ID card into her purse and eventually found a parking spot. They made their way to the first floor and were directed to the third floor. They casually made their way upstairs and Reign nudged Claire towards the blonde woman sitting behind a large oak desk.

“Hello, I’m Doctor Claire Kennedy, I have an appointment with Caroline Crown at one p.m. The meeting may be under the name Astra Rose.” Claire stated.

“Good afternoon, Miss?” Caroline asked.

“Doctor, please.” Claire smiled brightly.

“Good afternoon Doctor Kennedy. If you and your party can join us, Mr. Wayne will be with us shortly.” Caroline stated as she stood.

Butterflies surged into Claire’s stomach as Caroline’s words sunk in. She felt a warmth spread and knew Callum was calming her down. She smiled brightly and nodded at Caroline, before falling into step behind her.

Caroline pushed a large oak door open and held it for Claire and her bandmates. Caroline directed them to a large table and motioned for them to sit. She flitted about, filling water glasses for everyone.

The silence in the room was broken when Bruce entered from a different door. His exquisitely tailored suit clung to him, and Claire’s thoughts betrayed her as she caught herself staring at him. Everything about the billionaire captivated her. She felt Reign reach out to her and she forced her thoughts to subside.

“Good afternoon, Doctor Kennedy.” Bruce’s warm, deep voice radiated as he spoke.

He held his hand out towards Claire and smiled when she stood and took the handshake. He swore for a moment sparks danced between their palms. He cast a critical gaze towards her and felt himself relax slightly in her presence.

“Good afternoon, Mister Wayne. I’d like to introduce you to Callum Levine, Aryn Scott, Reign Kennex, and Julian Harrington. It’s a pleasure to meet you in far more pleasant settings than when I first met you. Have you recovered well?” Claire asked dignified.

“The pleasure is all mine, Doctor Kennedy. As for my recovery, it’s gone far better than expected. I owe you my thanks.” Bruce replied.

“That’s a relief to hear. In my line of work, I don’t often get to see people after their recovery. As much as I’d love to talk with you about medicine, I believe you’ve asked me here under different circumstances?” Claire inferred.

“You’d be correct. Please, sit.” Bruce stated.

Claire smoothed the fabric of her skirt and sat down across from Bruce. She smiled internally when she felt Reign reach out to her and pat her on the leg. She felt sublimely calm near Reign and Callum.

“As Ms. Crown notified you, I’d like to hire you for the benefit gala I’ll be hosting on December 18th. We’re willing to pay each of you two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars. We do have a request to make of yours, Doctor Kennedy. We’d like you to participate in our Charity Date Auction.” Bruce smirked slightly.

“Alright.” Claire stated.

“We’re prepared to - alright?” Bruce asked quizzically.

 

“I hate to sound pompous and arrogant, but I’m sure the news of me saving your life has spread like wildfire. I’m positive there would be plenty of interest for spending an evening with me. Both as the person who saved your life, and one of Gotham’s best doctors.” Claire stated.

“Very well. There will be a multitude of rules and precautions put in place to maintain your safety. As for the songs you perform, I believe Ms. Crown mentioned I’ve requested ‘Faded’, ‘Succumb’, ‘Rebirth’, and ‘Maelstrom’. Anything beyond those four, you’re welcome to choose on your own. We’d like you to perform for two hours. After that, we’ll have the Royal Hotel’s band come out and take requests and the like. After your concert, you’re all free to attend the gala as guests. We’ll open with your concert, then serve dinner. After dinner and drinks will be dancing, and we’ll end the evening with the Charity Auction and Charity Date Auction.” Bruce spoke.

“That sounds reasonable.” Reign stated.

“Agreed.” Aryn added.

“If you have the contract drafted, we’re more than happy to sign it now, Mr. Wayne.” Claire stated.

“Bruce, please. Might I call you Claire?” Bruce asked serenely.

“Of course.” Claire answered.

She smiled as Bruce slid a sheath of papers towards her. She deftly flicked a pen open from inside her blazer and signed the document. She passed the contract to her right and watched as each of the boys signed the papers. She took the sheath and handed it back to Bruce with a large smile on her face.

“Thank you for this opportunity, Mr. Wayne.” Claire stated sweetly.

“You’re very welcome, Doctor Kennedy. We’ll see you on the 18th.” Bruce replied.

He bade the group farewell and retreated to his private office. He shut the door behind him and stared at his right hand. He could still feel tingles and sparks from where Claire had touched him. He wouldn’t dare admit he was thrilled she was agreeing to participate in the Date Auction. He smirked when he admitted he’d do whatever he could to win the bid on the date with her.


	10. Date... With Destiny?

Chapter 10

  
  
  


Claire stood on the stage in the Royal Hotel’s ballroom. The entire room had been decorated with luxury in mind. She nervously played with the flowing fabric of her dress. The sheer light steely-blue overlay flowed over a silver satin lining, giving the dress the appearance it was fluid. The shoulderless dress clung to her body beautifully. She was wearing a pair of sparkly silver pumps with it. Her long blonde hair was bound in an intricately complex bun and the diamond hoops in her ears sparkled in the lighting.   
  
She and the rest of her bandmates were preparing for the benefit concert. He hefted her beloved violin to her left shoulder and drew her bow into her hand. She started playing and soon lost herself in the music. She began swaying and dancing as she played and felt her nervousness vanish.   
  
“Damn, Rose. You’ve definitely still got the magic.” Callum called out from behind the piano.   
  
“Thanks, Call.” Claire stated happily.   
  
Reign and Julian exited the storage room with the last of Aryn’s drums. They smiled as Julian used his own powers to swiftly assemble the drum kit. Reign took his place to Claire’s right and slipped his guitar strap over his shoulders. The silver strap complemented the midnight black tuxedo he wore. 

“Everything’s set up, Clairebear.” Reign stated.   
  
“Awesome. We ready, boys?” Claire asked.   
  
“I am!” Julian called out from his synthesizer.   
  
“Likewise.” Aryn stated from his drums.   
  
“You know it, Rose.” Callum replied.   
  
“Indeed, darling.” Reign answered.   
  
“Alright then. Twenty songs. We can do this.” Claire nodded happily.   
  
“Everyone remembers the setlist?” Reign asked.   
  
“Yep.” Came a chorus of voices.   
  
Claire could hear the roar of voices on the other side of the velvet curtain concealing her and the band. She knelt by the bottle of water near her feet and drew a sip of the cold liquid into her mouth. She savored the chill as she swallowed the water.    
  
Footsteps echoed on the stage on the other side of the curtain and Claire could only imagine who they belonged to. She steeled herself for the preparation of the concert. She took a moment to glance around at her surrogate family and she smiled brightly.   
  
“Good evening everyone. I’d like to take the opportunity to thank you for coming to this benefit gala. Without further ado, I proudly present Firestorm.” Bruce stated quickly.   
  
His footsteps receded and Claire watched as the velvet curtain slid back revealing her and her bandmates. She took a moment to clear her thoughts. She casually approached the microphone at center stage and smiled at the large crowd. 

“Good evening. My name is Claire Kennedy. I would like to take a moment to thank Bruce Wayne for asking us to play for you all this evening. We are Firestorm and we hope you enjoy the concert.” Claire stated.   
  
She retreated to her position and smiled when Callum began the music for their first song. Soon everyone was in full swing and Claire joined in with her violin. As she played she let the music flow through her and smiled as she started channeling her gift around her adding to her stage appearance.   
  
As the first hour passed the band forged on, launching into the second set of music. They’d worked up to the much more energetic, high-paced music they were now playing. Nearly everyone in the crowd was entranced in the music. As Claire danced around the stage she caught Bruce sitting at a table with the rest of the League’s founders.    
  
The music shifted and Claire’s violin was the sole source of music playing. She drew notes from the instrument in such quick succession it looked like she was a Speedster playing. She continued on, playing in solitude for a few minutes before she smiled as the stage lights dropped to darkness.

Reign started playing a solemn guitar chord and Aryn soon joined in with a deep drumline. Julian and Callum joined in, followed by Claire’s violin and her voice. She focused her gift on the stage and shielded her loved ones in a golden sparkling light. They stood on the stage in solidarity as they played their final song. When it hit its crescendo all of the stage lightings came back on and flooded the stage with brilliant lighting effects.    
  
As the song ended the Gala attendees erupted in applause. Claire lowered her violin to her side and bowed gracefully. As she rose, Reign and the others joined her and bowed as the curtains closed. 

“That was off the hook, Claire!” Aryn exclaimed happily.

“How are you feeling, Rose?” Callum asked delicately.   
  
“I’m good. My arms feel like jello though. You good, Reign?” Claire inquired.   
  
“Indeed, Clairebear. Promise me you’ll save me a dance?” Reign replied.

“I’d have to be dead to be unwilling to dance with you.” Claire smiled brightly.

As they started clearing the band of their private instruments, they heard familiar footsteps as Bruce made his way back to the microphone. He moved through a rousing speech, encouraging everyone to donate to the Victim’s Fund and announced that dinner and drinks were beginning along with the silent auction. As the Hotel’s band came on stage dancing would begin shortly.   
  
Claire and her bandmates sped through moving everything and when the entered the ballroom, a hostess was quick to lead them to their table. Reign held Claire’s chair out for her as she sat down. She closed her eyes and drew a sip of water out of her glass. Seconds passed and she felt someone tap her on the shoulder.   
  
“Hiya Claire!” Wally exclaimed.

Claire stood and hugged the redheaded man gently. His soft emerald green eyes shone brightly. He’d styled his hair out of his face and looked quite handsome in the tuxedo he was wearing.   
  
“Hi, Wally! Did you enjoy the concert?” Claire asked sheepishly.   
  
“We all did! Where’d you learn how to play like that?” Wally replied.   
  
“I started taking lessons when I was little. After my parents died, I was encouraged to use music as a way to process the emotions I was feeling. Would you like to meet the band?” Claire asked.   
  
“I’d love to, thanks!” Wally stated happily.   
  
“The ever lovely Reign Kennex, his husband, Callum Levine, my foster brothers Aryn Scott and Julian Harrington. Boys, I’d like you to meet Wally West. He’s a new business colleague of mine.” Claire stated beautifully.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Wally. Claire is very dear to us. She’s been a great friend and sister for quite a while.” Reign stated.   
  
“Diana, John, Shay, Clark, and Lois are over yonder if you’d like to say hello.” Wally whispered in Claire’s ear.   
  
“Boys, will you excuse me for a moment?” Claire asked pleasantly.   
  
“Of course.” Came their echoed replies.   
  
“Shall we?” Claire whispered in Wally’s ear.   
  
Wally slipped his hand to the small of Claire’s back and lead her towards a table near the back of the ballroom. As they approached the table, Diana’s light gray-blue eyes lit up. Shayera smiled and waved. Diana stood and pulled Claire into a warm embrace and kissed her on the cheek softly.   
  
“Your musical skill is quite impressive, Claire.” Diana stated gently.   
  
“Thank you. You look amazing, Diana.” Claire complimented.   
  
Diana was wearing a floor length silver satin gown and had her long raven black hair pinned back off her face. She still wore her silver bracers and she was wearing a simple pearl necklace. She easily towered over Claire while barefoot and in the heels she wore, she almost seemed to dwarf the small doctor. 

“As do you. Would you care to join us?” Diana asked calmly.   
  
“That would be lovely, thank you.” Claire replied.   
  
She smiled when Wally moved to her side and pulled out a chair for her. She smoothed the fabric of her gown and sat down at the table. As she settled at the table she focused her thoughts on Reign and conveyed to him she’d been detained and by all accounts, enjoy the evening. 

“Lois, how’s Samuel doing?” Claire asked gently.   
  
“He’s doing great. Thank you so much for being there for us.” Lois stated happily.   
  
“Really, Claire. Thank you for everything you did. Sam’s doing fantastic. Alfred, Bruce’s butler is babysitting him for us tonight. My cousin, Kara is helping too.” Clark added.

“How have you been the last six weeks Claire?” Wally asked.   
  
“I’ve been alright. It’s December, so work is getting crazy. Long shifts at the hospital paired with lots of silly injuries mean longer shifts at the Thomas Wayne Clinic, but I wouldn’t give any of it up. I’m happy knowing I help curb a little of the hatred in Gotham every day.” Claire answered.   
  
The music shifted to a much slower song. Clark and Lois bade everyone farewell as they began making their way towards the dance floor. John and Shayera followed them quickly. Wally stood and offered his hand to Claire.   
  
“May I have this dance?” Wally asked gently.   
  
“I’d love to.” Claire replied brightly.   
  
She took Wally’s hand and allowed herself to be lead to the dance floor. She turned and faced Wally as he slipped his right hand to the small of her back. She loosely held onto his left hand with her right hand and laid her left hand on his shoulder.   
  
The two moved beautifully together as they danced. As they danced through a second and third song, Wally jumped when Bruce tapped him on the shoulder. He and Claire stopped and Wally frowned ever so slightly.   
  
“May I cut in?” Bruce asked politely.   
  
“Of course.” Wally and Claire stated.   
  
Bruce pulled Claire to him and snaked his right arm around her slender waist. He smirked when he noticed she held his left hand tighter than she’d held Wally’s. His smirk broadened into a smile when he noticed Claire’s eyes sparkling in the lights.   
  
“I don’t believe I’ve properly thanked you for saving my life, Doctor Kennedy. The concert you put on was amazing. Are you enjoying the Gala so far?” Bruce asked quizzically.   
  
“I’m a doctor, Mr. Wayne. You needn’t thank me for doing my job, nor fulfilling the oath I vowed to uphold, but I appreciate it, deeply. As for the Gala, you certainly know how to throw a hell of a party, that’s for sure. Who knew you were an excellent dancer?” Claire teased.   
  
“Alfred will be glad to hear that. On a different front, have you started any new, exciting ventures?” Bruce interrogated.   
  
“No. I’ve been keeping myself busy at your father’s former Clinic in my free-time.” Claire answered.   
  
“Do you volunteer at the Clinic often?” Bruce asked softly.   
  
“I do. I work twelve shifts a month at Gotham General and an additional 30 hours a week at the Thomas Wayne Clinic.” Claire stated gently.   
  
Bruce leaned close to her and smiled internally when Claire subtlety responded. She shifted ever so slightly and cast her gray gaze towards his azure eyes. She shivered when he exhaled against her neck. The same sparks he felt when he shook her hand six weeks ago tingled on his skin now.   
  
They were pulled from their intimate dance as Reign tapped on Bruce’s shoulder and asked to dance with Claire. Bruce instantly frowned, then smiled at the man as he spun Claire into his embrace. He left the two friends to dance while he checked on the final preparations for the Celebrity Auction.   
  
“Rose, you alright?” Reign whispered.   
  
“Thank you. I felt like he was trying to bore holes into my soul.” Claire whispered back.   
  
“You’re blushing, Claire. Do you think he’s attractive?” Reign teased slightly.   
  
“Hrmph.” Claire brushed his statement off.   
  
“You do! I mean, he’s ridiculously attractive, but I wouldn’t have pegged you for someone that liked rich playboys.” Reign stated.   
  
“Oh shut up and dance with me, will you?” Claire inquired.   
  
“Delighted to, Rose.” Reign answered.

The moved through several songs as Claire allowed herself to relax in Reign’s embrace. She truly looked at her bandmates as her family and was honored Reign viewed her as his baby sister. They’d met when she was at Duke and he and Callum had essentially adopted her.   
  
By the time they finished the emcee was beginning to announce the celebrities for the auction. Claire was ushered to the stage and led behind the thick curtains. She took her seat in one of the luxurious golden chairs set up. A stagehand ran to her and handed her a small bottle of water and checked she was in the correct seat.   
  
Claire looked at the line of people and recognized a few of them. Vicki Vale’s ice blonde hair stood out on the darkened stage. She stared at her nude colored nails in the darkness and toyed with the material of her dress. The emcee finished their introduction and the curtains opened, revealing Claire and the others.   
  
Claire toned out the noises as the first few celebrities were auctioned off. She glanced at the tiny card with her name on it and saw she would be the last person auctioned off. When she thought of this fact, the chortle from Reign made her giggle. She saw Callum thwack him on the arm and shake his head.   
  
She drowned out the noise and chaos as the other fourteen people were auctioned off. By the time the auction had made its way to her, you could hear a pin drop in the ballroom. She saw Wally, Bruce, and Reign in the rows of people ready to bid on her. 

“Now for the star of tonight’s celebrity auction. You saw her perform earlier as Astra Rose, leading founder of the band Firestorm. Gotham General’s own ‘Youngest Doctor Hired’. She graduated top of her class from the Duke University School of Medicine. She holds a triple specialty in General Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Internal Medicine. She’s recently made news for saving Bruce Wayne’s life two months ago. Give it up for Doctor Claire Kennedy!” The emcee exclaimed.   
  
Claire rose from her chair and strode to the end of the catwalk that had been assembled. The emcee, a young man Claire didn’t recognize offered her his hand and spun her around gently. She swallowed the growing lump in her throat as she realized in this single moment, every single person in the ballroom was staring at her.   
  
“Now, if you win the date with Doctor Kennedy, you’ll be getting a private reservation for Solstice. The reservation includes the meal, wine, and two gift certificates to the White Willow Spa. We’ll start the bidding at five-thousand dollars.” The young emcee called out.   
  
Claire smiled when Reign bid on her. Wally bid on her next, which slightly amused Claire. She was dumbfounded when Bruce bid on her as well. Reign bid a second time, bringing the total to eight thousand dollars. Wally and Bruce bid in tandem and Claire went wide-eyed as others started joining in too.   
  
“Oh, my. It seems Gotham has spoken, Doctor Kennedy. There’s quite a few lovely bachelors and bachelorettes out there bidding on you. Do you have anything you’d like to say to the crowd?” The young man asked.

“If you win the date with me, I’ll give you an intimate piano or violin lesson. My apartment, your choice.” Claire taunted.   
  
The flurry of bidding took off again, leaving Claire speechless. She was silently hoping Bruce would give up the chase and Wally would win. Her hopes were dashed as Wally his price limit. Soon the bidding was up to fifty thousand dollars for her. She took the microphone from the young man and softly began singing Carol of the Bells. The room fell silent as she sang letting the notes of her voice echo in the room as she sang without musical accompaniment. As she finished the song, she handed the microphone back to the emcee.   
  
“Five-hundred thousand dollars.” Bruce announced.

Claire swallowed the new lump in her throat and stared at Bruce incredulously. Everyone soon quieted down and stared at the emcee. Bruce stood resolutely in the audience.   
  
“Five-hundred thousand dollars for a date with Doctor Claire Kennedy. Going once? Going twice? Sold to Mr. Bruce Wayne. Congratulations!” The emcee exclaimed.


	11. Combat Lessons

Chapter 11   
Combat Training   
  
  
  
  


Claire tightened the end of her long braid as she walked into one of the Gyms on the Watchtower. She was wearing a light teal sports bra with galaxy themed athletic leggings. One of her favorite pairs of white tennis shoes adorned her feet.   
  
Batman was standing in the center of the room alongside Diana and J’onn. Superman was standing behind a glass wall with John watching the quad. Batman cast his gaze towards Claire and watched her as she approached. He nodded slightly as J’onn phased through the glass wall and joined Clark and John.   
  
“What am I learning today?” Claire asked brightly.   
  
“Close quarters combat. If we have enough time, we’re going to start working on ranged combat as well.” Diana answered.   
  
“Alright.” Claire stated.   
  
“Have you given any thought to weapons training?” J’onn asked gently.   
  
“I have. I’d honestly prefer something non-lethal.” Claire answered.   
  
“There’s no shame in that, Claire. You’re a healer by nature and profession. That’s admirable.” Clark called out through a speaker.   
  
“Agreed. Your powers have been growing at an exceptional rate thanks to your training with J’onn.” Diana stated warmly.   
  
“It’s been healing, working with J’onn and Doctor Fate. I appreciate all that you’re doing for me.” Claire spoke sweetly.   
  
“You’ll be sparring with Wonder Woman and myself. Your goal is to beat both of us, without substantial injury to yourself.” Batman stated coldly.   
  
“Understood.” Claire replied.

Batman motioned for Claire to assume a fighting stance. He watched intently as something within Claire shifted. Her bubbly demeanor faded, leaving a fighter in its place. He smirked when he realized just how much she’d learned in the last few weeks of her life.   
  
He stood in front of her and adopted his own stance, while Diana moved to Claire’s left side and prepared as well. He bore his gaze toward Claire and realized she was rather intently staring at him. He caught his thoughts as they and his gaze wandered over Claire’s rather lean, toned body.   
  
“Whenever you’re ready, Batman.” John called out.   
  
Bruce studied Claire’s movements and launched a flurry of punches towards her. He calculated every move he could make and tried to strike her before she could realize what he was doing. His face bore no emotion as Claire shielded herself and blocked his blows effectively.   
  
“You’re holding back. Don’t.” Batman growled.   
  
Claire retaliated by landing a perfect right hook to his jaw. As he staggered backward Claire seized her opportunity and launched her own volley of attacks. She threw a shield around herself preventing Diana from assaulting her back as she succeeded in pushing Batman away from her.   
  
She whirled on Diana and struck out at the Amazon’s left side. She ducked under the blow Diana aimed towards her face and landed a near-perfect back handspring away from the Amazon. Claire stood and launched a beautiful amount of attacks towards both Batman and Diana.   
  
“Is she doing what I think she’s doing?” Superman asked quietly.   
  
“She’s blocking their attacks before they even make them. How’s that possible?” John asked in admiration.   
  
“She is developing telepathy. It is a part of her gift that has been sequestered in her mind. Batman and Wonder Woman are projecting their attacks. Claire can sense what they are going to do before they do it.” J’onn stated proudly.   
  
“Is that what you and Fate have been working with her on?” John asked.   
  
“Indeed. For some reason, she had layers of mental blocks in place. Effectively, they were stopping her from accessing the full potential of her powers. It is why her powers seem to be growing. They are not growing, she is merely regaining access to ones she has lost.” J’onn answered.   
  
“How’d they form?” Superman inquired.   
  
“Traumatic memories. A great deal of the blocks in place are regarding what exactly happened to her parents when they passed on. It has been a… painful process for her. She willingly asked for our assistance though. It will be a long process, but I believe we will be successful in removing the blocks and allowing her access to her full scope of abilities.” J’onn replied.   
  
“That’s gonna leave a mark.” John laughed loudly.   
  
The trio observing turned their attention back towards the sparring match and Clark laughed. Batman had taken a high kick directly to his left cheek. The strength of Claire’s kick was enough his skin was already turning slightly green from the impact.   
  
“Hold.” J’onn called out.   
  
He phased through the wall and glided down towards Claire and the others. Though he bore no emotion, he was quite pleased at the progress Claire was making. He admired her desire to learn non-lethal combat skills.   
  
“That was impressive Claire. Not many people can beat Batman or Diana.” J’onn stated.   
  
“It was impressive. She was able to block our attacks before we made them.” Diana spoke gently.   
  
“J’onn says I’m developing telepathy. I could sense where you were going to attack before you attacked. Like extrasensory perception or something. Are you okay, Batman?” Claire asked concernedly.   
  
“I’ll be fine. I’ve had worse.” Batman scoffed.   
  
The group startled when Wally sped into the gym. He was holding Claire’s phone in his hand. He moved to her side and pulled her into a warm hug before handing her the device.   
  
“Sorry, it’s been ringing for like five minutes.” Wally stated.   
  
“Why do you have her phone?” Batman asked.   
  
“Uh. I went to her quarters to see if she wanted to have breakfast and it was ringing when I got there. It didn’t stop ringing, so I grabbed it and looked all over for her.” Wally stated bashfully.   
  
“Wally, it’s fine. Thank you.” Claire added.   
  
Claire answered the call and brought the phone to her ear. She smiled as she recognized the voice on the other end of the call. Her bubbly persona was back as she picked up the conversation.   
  
_ “Hola, chica! What took so long for you to answer? How’s your morning?” A warm male voice asked. _ _   
_ _   
_ “I was at the gym and didn’t have my phone. It’s alright, Vince. How are you and Ry?” Claire asked cautiously.   
  
_ “Oh, we’re hunky-dory. Sorta. You wouldn’t happen to be working today, would ya?” Vince asked jovially. _ _   
_ _   
_ “Oi vey. Burns again?” Claire asked.   
  
_ “Yeah. Sorry, Claire.” A female voice stated. _ _   
_ _   
_ “Ryiah, it’s alright. My shift at the clinic starts in half an hour. I’ll be there until six tonight. When you get here, let Cassie know, and I’ll see you as soon as I can, okay?” Claire stated gently.   
  
_ “Thanks, Claire. Love you.” Ryiah stated. _ _   
_ _   
_ “I love you, too. Be careful.” Claire replied as she disconnected the call.   
  
“Everything okay?” Wally asked gently.   
  
“Yeah, just a dear friend has some burns on her arms. She comes to me for treatment because I can heal them and cover them up.” Claire answered.   
  
“It sounded like that’s not the first time this has happened.” Batman stated critically.   
  
“It isn’t. She’s a pyromancer that hasn’t quite learned how to control the flames so she doesn’t get injured.” Claire stated sadly.   
  


“That has to suck.” Wally added.   
  
“I need to take a shower and get to the Clinic.” Claire spoke quietly.   
  
“Lunch date with yours truly?” Wally asked happily.   
  
“Of course. I take lunch at one. Does that work for you?” Claire countered.   
  
“One’s great! Chinese okay?” Wally asked.   
  
“Sure. How long are you sticking around Gotham?” Claire inquired.   
  
“I have a flight back home at nine tonight. Maybe we can get together before I leave?” Wally pouted slightly.   
  
“I’d like that. My flight leaves tomorrow afternoon. Maybe if my vacation isn’t too crazy and the roads aren’t horrible I can make the drive and visit you.” Claire answered.   
  
“You’d drive to Central City for me?” Wally asked shyly.   
  
“Sure. I grew up in a small town about an hour outside Chicago called Wolf’s Run. By small, I mean my Dad’s farm is the only house in about a 40-mile radius. It kept us kids safe.” Claire answered.  
  
“Hasn’t Chicago gotten forty inches of snow already?” Batman added.   
  
“It has. That’s part of the charm of the city though. I’m really looking forward to getting to spend time with my family.” Claire answered.

Claire pulled Wally into a gentle hug and waved goodbye to the rest of the League members. She departed the Gym and headed towards her quarters to shower and change before work. She happily jogged through the expansive hallways on her way to her quarters.   
  
“Two dates in one day? That’s impressive even for you, Wally.” Batman interjected.   
  
“At least I didn’t have to buy a date with my girlfriend.” Wally faintly whispered.   
  
“Are you and Claire dating?” Diana asked quietly.   
  
“Yup. Have been since shortly after she helped Lois and Clark. She’s amazing.” Wally wistfully stated.   
  
“Who’s Wally dating?” Shayera asked as she walked into the small gym.   
  
“Apparently Claire.” John answered.   
  
“Not bad. You certainly have good taste, but don’t you think it’s a little early to be dating a junior member of the League?” Shayera asked.   
  
“So, Batman and Wondy have a thing, Superman has Lois, you and John have each other. That just leaves J’onn and I. Not cool.   
  
“There isn’t anything between Batman and I, Wally.” Diana scolded.   
  
Wally bowed his head in defeat and sped out of the Gym towards the Monitor Womb. He pulled his cell phone from his suit and sent Claire a text message. He sat back in the chair and turned his gaze towards his monitor duty while waiting for Claire to respond to him.

Claire took the teleporter and materialized in her apartment. She rushed out the door and down the stairs to her beloved Toyota Camry and made the short drive to the Thomas Wayne Clinic. She checked her watch and saw it was just seven forty-five, and she’s made it in time for her shift.   
  
She fished her ID badge from her purse and tapped the card to an electronic reader. The red light flashed Green and released the magnetic lock on the rear door. She hurried inside and made her way to her moderate office.   
  
She dropped her purse off on her desk and checked the thermostat on the wall. The cold December air was making the temperature inside her office abysmal. The tiny display read it was 67 degrees. She growled in frustration and reset the display to her preferred 71 degrees.

Her cell phone rang from her desk and she scrubbed a hand over her weary face. She crossed to the desk and grabbed the slender device. A weak smile formed on her face when she recognized the number. She called up the text message Wally had sent and smiled brightly.   
  
“ _ West, Wally: You looked amazing this morning!” _ _   
_ _   
_ “Thanks. Combat Training is getting a little easier, thankfully. Batman’s been teaching me Fujian White Crane Kung Fu.” Claire replied. _   
_ _   
_ _ “West, Wally: He made us all learn how to fight. Who do you think is a better fighter: him or Wonder Woman?” _ _   
_ _   
_ “Hrm. Diana’s the strongest fighter, but I think Batman knows more fighting styles than she does. I’d posit they’re equals.” Claire replied. _   
_ _   
_ _ “West, Wally: Do you think they’re upset we’re dating?” _ _   
_ _   
_ “Hard to say. I don’t think they’d judge us harshly for dating, we can’t help who we want to have a relationship with.” Claire answered.   
_   
_ _ “West, Wally: That’s a good point! You’re the best!” _ _   
_ _   
_ “Hardly, but thank you for the flattery. Are you upset that Bruce Wayne won the date with me?” Claire asked cautiously. _   
_ _   
_ _ “West, Wally: A bit, yeah. Promise you won’t make out with him?”  _ _   
_   
“ I was hoping you’d win. Or Reign.” Claire answered. _   
_ _   
_ _ “West, Wally: Ew, your brother? Gross.”  _ _   
_ _   
_ “You know Reign and I aren’t biologically related, right? You met Callum, too. He and Reign have been married for fifteen years.” Claire countered. _   
_ _   
_ _ “West, Wally: Oh. Oh. Ohhhh. That makes a lot more sense.” _ _   
_ _   
_ “Reign’s gorgeous, sure, but he’s only got eyes for Callum. It would have been nice spending some time with my surrogate brother, that’s all. Thankfully he’s coming with me to visit my adoptive Dad for Christmas.” Claire typed out. _   
_ _   
_ _ “West, Wally: Aryn’s your actual brother, right?” _ _   
_   
“Not biologically, but yes. He’s Leon’s biological child. Leon is the man who adopted me after my parents died.” Claire answered. _   
_ _   
_ _ “West, Wally: Julian is… Aryn’s boyfriend?” _ _   
_   
“Hahahaha, no. Julian’s also my adoptive brother. Leon adopted me, Julian, and our sister, Lilly.” Claire laughed as she typed out her message. _   
_ _   
_ _ “West, Wally: What time does your shift start?” _ _   
_   
“08:00. Hopefully, it’s a nice, easy day. I’m worn out from last night.” Claire answered. _   
_ _   
_ _ “West, Wally: What kind of kinky business were you up to?” _ _   
_   
“Oh lord, Wally. You were at the Gala with me. You did watch me play my heart out on a violin for two hours, right? Or am I just hallucinating that?” Claire shook her head as she typed.

She turned her attention to her laptop and frowned when her phone rang. She closed some of the tabs she was working on and turned her focus towards the incessant device. The smile on her face flattened when she saw the number was unrecognizable. She answered the call and brought the slender device to her ear.   
  
“Good morning, this is Doctor Claire Kennedy, how may I help you?” Claire asked sweetly.   
  
“ _ Hello, Dr. Kennedy. I want to schedule the date I won last night.” Bruce’s voice echoed slightly. _ _   
_ _   
_ “Hello, Mr. Wayne. I don’t get off work until six this evening, and I’ve got plans as soon as I’m off  work. I am available tomorrow until three p.m., after that I’ll be in the Chicago area until the New Year.” Claire stated.

_ “You seemed outright disappointed I won the date. Why?” Bruce inquired. _ _   
_ _   
_ “I was hoping either my brother and close friend would, or Wally West would.” Claire answered.   
  
_ “Wally West? The Forensic Investigator for CCPD? Why him?” Bruce interrogated. _ _   
_ _   
_ “He and I have been casually dating for the last few weeks. It’s nothing serious on either of our parts, yet.” Claire answered.   
  
The large clock on her wall ticked ever closer to eight and the looming knowledge her shift in the clinic was about to start. She frowned slightly and hung her head as she prepared for the day. A soft chime from her phone alerted her to a new text message.   
  
_ “West, Wally: Can I pick you up at the Clinic?” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Of course.” Claire typed out quickly. _ _   
_ _   
_ She realized the other end of the phone call was dead and she chewed on her lip as she debated on hanging up on Mr. Wayne. She decided against that course of action and pulled her work tablet into her hands. She checked the initial listing of patients and beamed when she saw her friend’s name on the list.   
  
She jumped when Bruce’s deep voice sounded out in her office. She scrambled to grab the phone from where it fell on the carpet. She checked the call was still connected and pressed the device to her ear once more.   
  
“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry. You startled me and I dropped the phone!” Claire exclaimed.

_ “That’s quite alright. Would you like to dine at Il Tramonto?” Bruce asked gently. _ _   
_ _   
_ “Il Tramonto is booked up to a year in advance. How on earth could you get a reservation this soon?” Claire inquired.   
  
_ “My name carries weight, Doctor Kennedy. Also, I know the owner.” Bruce stated flatly. _ _   
_ _   
_ “Fair enough. That would be lovely, Mr. Wayne.” Claire stated sweetly.   
  
_ “Bruce, please. May I call you Claire?” Bruce asked rather gently. _ _   
_ _   
_ “Of course, Bruce. I’m looking forward to our date. Is this a good number to reach you?” Claire asked.   
  
_ “It’s my private cell phone, so yes. You can also call WayneEnterprises. Tell them who you are and they’ll connect you directly to me. I’ll have Caroline reach out to you with the rest of the details.” Bruce stated warmly. _ _   
_ _   
_ “Alright, thank you, Bruce. Have a good day. Goodbye.” Claire spoke happily.   
  
_ “Goodbye, Claire.” Bruce stated. _ _   
_ _   
_ Claire disconnected the call and dropped her phone into her lab coat pocket. She laid her forehead on her desk and tried to get her thoughts in order. The few moments remaining until her shift started ticked by.

A few minutes later a soft knock on her office door drew her attention. She smoothed the fabric of her lab coat and tightened the ponytail she wore before opening the door. Cassie, the head nurse for the Thomas Wayne Clinic was standing on the other side.   
  
“Mornin’ Claire. Your favorite patient is here today. 2nd degree burns to both forearms. She’s refusing to go the hospital, like always.” Cassie softly stated.   
  
“Okay, Cass. Send Ryiah to Room 1. Thank you.” Claire stated brightly.   
  
She followed Cassie as she walked down the hallway. She smiled when Vince, Ryiah’s husband waved to her. She gently waved back before ducking into the exam room. A few seconds later a gentle knock rapped on the door.

“Come in.” Claire stated.   
  
The door opened revealing a short fire engine red-haired Hispanic woman, with soft honey brown eyes. Her short hair was naturally wavy and suited her well. The slender young girl smiled brightly at Claire when she entered the room.   
  
“Hiya Doc!” Vince called out.   
  
“Hello, Vince. Take a seat, Ry, please.” Claire stated warmly.   
  
She shut the door behind her and turned her attention towards Ryiah. She pulled the bandages covering the girl’s arms off and winced at the painful looking burns. She moved to the sink in the room and washed her hands in cool water.    
  
“Ry, what am I going to do with you?” Claire asked with exasperation in her voice.   
  
“Sorry, Claire.” Ryiah spoke with shame in her voice.   
  
“It’ll be okay. Were you showing off for a boy again?” Claire teased.   
  
“No. I was practicing…” Ry stated softly.   
  
“She was fighting. Or well, trying to fight. She’s not a good fighter. No hand-eye coordination at all.” Vince lovingly teased.   
  
“Hey! Not fair!” Ryiah exclaimed.   
  
Claire laid her hands on each of Ryiah’s arms and willed her power to her. She tried her best to slow the torrent of energy she expended and succeeded in healing the burns, with minimal drain to herself. She pulled several non-stick gauze bandages from a supply cabinet and gently wrapped them around the Ryiah’s arms.   
  
“Better?” Claire asked gently.   
  
“Much. Thanks, Claire.” Ryiah stated happily.   
  
“Thanks, Doc!” Vince exclaimed.   
  
“We need to see about getting you some fireproof gloves or something you can wear to prevent this in the future. Or, maybe I can help you practice and find a way for you to stop burning yourself.” Claire explained.   
  
“Either would be great!” Ryiah cheerfully exclaimed.

“Try to be careful, okay? I’m not always going to be able to help you and I’d hate for you to end up with scarring and extensive damage.” Claire stated warmly.   
  
“Yes, ma’am.” Ryiah stated happily.   
  
Claire waved the two out of the room and bade them farewell as they exited the Clinic. She looped her stethoscope around her neck. The light blue tubing was concealed inside a vibrant galaxy themed fabric cover. She’d found when working with kids they seemed to respond better to it, than a regular one. She pulled her slender work tablet from her coat pocket and glanced at the room assignments.   
  
She drew a breath into her lungs and focused on her job. As the hours of the day waned on, she’d treated one asthma attack, a dog bite, two sprained ankles, a fractured wrist, and diagnosed three cases of Strep Throat. She glanced at her watch and frowned when she saw it was only eleven. She and Cassie worked with more patients. 

Claire’s phone vibrated in her lab coat pocket. She took a small reprieve to grab a glass of water from the water cooler and check the small device. She beamed when she saw it was a message from Wally letting her know he was at the clinic.   
  
“Hey, Claire? There’s a really cute guy here looking for you. Tall, red hair, green eyes. You know him?” Cassie yelled.   
  
“I hope she knows me. I’m her boyfriend.” Wally laughed.   
  
Claire made her way down the hallway towards the reception desk. She giggled when she saw Wally. He was wearing a Justice League shirt and jeans. He, like most of the rest of the Leaguers, towered over Claire’s scant five-foot-four height.   
  
“Claire, your boy’s a bit tall for you.” Cassie teased.   
  
“Cass, I’m literally an inch shorter than you.” Claire scornfully stated.   
  
“Aw, you know I love you, honey.” Cassie smiled as she spoke.   
  
“Yeah, yeah. Ready for lunch?” Claire asked softly.   
  
“I am almost always ready for food.” Wally laughed.   
  
“Lemme grab my purse and we can go. There’s a really nice place within walking distance if you want.” Claire stated.   
  
She jogged back to her office and shucked her lab coat off. She hung the white garment on the hook on the back of her office door and pulled her cell phone from the right pocket. She crossed to her desk and opened the bottom right drawer and removed her purse. She dropped her phone into her bag and quickly made her way back to Wally.   
  
The ombre blue dress Claire wore swished around her gently as she moved. The dress material was dark blue on her chest and arms and faded to a much lighter blue towards the bottom hem. A pattern of sparkly silver stars of varying sizes adorned the fabric. A purplish blue thin fabric belt cinched the dress at her slender waist. She was wearing a pair of shimmery silver sheer tights under the dress, to help combat the cold December air. A pair of black leather flats adorned her feet. Her long honey-blonde hair was bound in a perfect ballerina bun.   
  
“That dress looks amazing on you, Claire.” Wally announced.   
  
“Thanks, Wally. I’m glad you like it.” Claire replied sweetly.   
  
She smiled when Wally dropped his hand to the small of her back and led her out of the Clinic. She tucked her body against him slightly and started leading the way to the restaurant. Their conversation as they walked was filled with playful banter. As they arrived at the establishment, the duo were smiling happily.   
  
They were soon led to a table and Claire and Wally both quickly ordered their respective meals. Claire opted for a Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with Hot Tea, while Wally went for Beef and Broccoli. Their waiter departed leaving them to resume their conversation.   
  
“Talk to me about Wolf’s Run. What’s it like?” Wally asked softly.   
  
“Well, as I said earlier, my dad’s house is the only house in a forty mile radius. He’s got a huge farmhouse with a lot of land that us kids were allowed to explore. He took me in when I was eight. Leon instilled a lot of wisdom into me and I’m really grateful the universe brought us together.” Claire answered.   
  
“Forty miles? That has to be lonely.” Wally pouted.   
  
“Eh, when you’re on a farm, it’s not that bad. There were the animals to take care of, and I had my adoptive siblings, too. Dad homeschooled all of us, too. Every weekend we’d take trips to Chicago to visit museums and art galleries. Sometimes we’d watch plays and musicals, too. We all grew up with a sense of purpose and an education. We never missed a meal and he made sure we were all treated like Kings and Queens on our birthdays.” Claire replied.   
  
“Sounds like you had a good life. I’m glad.” Wally added.   
  
“I did. I realize it could have been worse than others, and I’m absolutely thankful and grateful for what I’ve had. How about you? How’s Central City? How’s work?” Claire asked inquisitively.   
  
“Work’s great. I love what I do. Feel like I’m helping make sure bad people get sent to jail. It’s rewarding. Heartbreaking sometimes too, of course, but I love it. As for the city, Linda keeps asking me out to get coffee with her.” Wally sighed.   
  
“Wally, you don’t have to turn her down you know. I like you, but I want to see you happy. I know that being in a prolonged relationship with me would be hard since you live in Central City and I live here. It’s not fair to you to keep you in a long distance relationship.” Claire stated softly.   
  
“But, I like being in a relationship with you!” Wally exclaimed.   
  
“I know. I also know that you perk up when you mention Linda. You’re a great person, Wally, and  I don’t want you to hurt. Linda seems like a nice person. Persistent too. Why don’t you invite her for coffee tomorrow?” Claire asked gently.   
  
“Are you sure? You’re really okay with calling things off between us?” Wally asked.   
  
“I am. I want you to be happy. Pursue Linda, maybe she can give you the happiness I can’t.” Claire smiled.

“You’re literally, the best, Claire. You’re on vacation until January 15th, right? How are you handling the date with Bruce Wayne?” Wally asked.   
  
“I am. Apparently, we’re dining at one of the premier eateries in Chicago. I’m going shopping tomorrow after my flight gets in. I just hope he thinks I was worth the money he spent.” Claire admitted.   
  
“Dude, you’re worth way more than he spent. You saved his life too, maybe he’s just doing this to thank you?” Wally asked.   
  
The waiter appeared with their meals and placed their food in front of them. Nearly as quickly as he’d arrived he left, leaving the two to their conversation once again. Claire casually picked up her chopsticks and delicately lifted a piece of chicken to her lips. She savored the bite of the food and smiled softly.   
  
“I’m not a woman of extravagance by any means, but honestly, a simple flower bouquet and a card that says ‘Hey, thanks for saving my life, I appreciate it.’ would have been enough.” Claire laughed.   
  
“Somehow, I don’t think simple is a word that can describe him, Claire.” Wally chortled.   
  
Their meal progressed quietly as they occasionally made jokes with one another. As they finished Wally insisted on paying for their meal, despite Claire’s best efforts. When he escorted her back to the clinic he gave her a warm hug and thanked her yet again for helping him with the Linda situation.   
  
The rest of Claire’s shift progressed quickly. Patients came in a steady flow, keeping she and Cassie quite occupied. By the time six rolled around, Claire was exhausted. She’d finally finished with all of her paperwork by nine. She rather quickly shut the clinic down and ran to her car in the chilly December air.    
  
As she made her way to her apartment complex she smiled when Reign called letting her know he’d be over first thing in the morning to pick her up. As she entered her apartment she quickly shifted into autopilot and threw a small vegetarian lasagna into her oven. She quickly shucked off all of her clothing and pulled her hair free from the bun and slipped into a scalding hot shower. By the time she’d washed the exhaustion from her body, her dinner was ready and she curled up in her lounge chair to eat while Akira snuggled with her.   
  
By eleven, Claire finally resigned herself to getting some much-needed sleep and unceremoniously collapsed in bed. She lazily rolled herself under the blankets and burrowed into them, begging the air to cooperate and warm her body. She seriously contemplated trying to channel a light orb for warmth before she eventually fell asleep.


	12. Best Laid Plans

Chapter 12   
Best Laid Plans   
  
  
  
  


Claire groaned as her phone rang incessantly. The scowl that formed on her face could have rivaled one from Batman in an instant. She tumbled out of bed and dragged the sheet with her as she wrapped it around her naked frame. She retrieved the offending device from her nightstand and glared at the screen before answering the call.

_ “Good morning, my darling Rose. Mind letting me in?” Reign’s polished voice asked gently. _

“Oh, shit, of course, sorry, hang on.” Claire stammered.   
  
She tightened her grip on the sheet covering her and shuffled towards the door in her apartment. She smiled brightly when she spotted Akira sitting by the door, obviously waiting for whoever was on the other side. She peeked through the peephole in the door and breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her surrogate brother on the other side. She flew through opening the locks and casually pulled the door open before she dropped her phone on the table by her keys.

“Good morning. I woke you up, didn’t I?” Reign asked sadly.

“You did, but it’s alright. I need to be up anyways. You’re still coming with me to the company brunch this morning, right?” Claire inquired.   
  
“Of course. Though, I suspect if you go wearing  _ that _ the party won’t be as boring.” Reign laughed.   
  
“Right. Give me a few and I’ll get dressed. Make yourself at home.” Claire countered.   
  
“I brought you a London Fog. It’s still your favorite right?” Reign asked gently.   
  
“Mmm, yes, yes it is. Thanks, big bro.” Claire mumbled.

“Get dressed, caffeine will be here when you’re done.” Reign joked.   
  
Claire flippantly waved her hand as she retreated into her bedroom. She pulled the sliding partition doors shut and balled the sheet up and threw it onto the bed. She crossed the floor to her nightstand and gently applied a light spray of her favorite citrus-scented perfume to her wrists, inner elbows, and the hollow of her collarbone. She shuffled around to her closet and pulled a gorgeous, rich, plum-colored dressed off a hanger. The delicate garment had a chiffon overlay that was covered with silver snowflakes of varying sizes. She pulled a white bra and thong free from her underwear drawer and quickly donned the articles of clothing. 

She found a short white satin slip in the back of her closet and donned the garment before slipping the dress over her frame. She was grateful the dress had a side zipper as it afforded her the ability to get into the garment on her own. She pulled a pair of mid-calf high light grey boots out of the closet and pulled on a thick pair of low cut socks before she tugged the boots on.   
  
She darted into the bathroom and quickly tamed her long honey-blonde tresses into a messy French Twist. She lightly curled a few tendrils of hair that refused to stay in the style and quickly applied a light dusting of makeup. She delicately applied a lavender smokey eye and complemented the look with a rich black eyeliner. She opted for a soft light peach blush on her cheeks and a coat of her favorite lipstick. The natural based lip product had been a staple of Claire’s life for the last ten years. Her favored shade was Desert Rose.  The semi-matte, subtle dirty-pink shade straddled the line between elegant and flirty and had just the right balance to make a polished statement at work while remaining playful enough to carry her through happy hour and it was purposefully on the lower-end of pigmentation.   
  
She slipped a pair of silver and diamond hoops into her ears and a matching diamond bracelet adorned her right wrist. She smiled when Reign whistled at her as she entered the living room. He was wearing a light gray suit that perfectly complemented her darker dress and he wore a similarly toned tie.   
  
“You look utterly amazing, as always, little sister.” Reign softly stated.

“Thanks, Reign. You look great. Gray’s such a good color for you. It suits your eyes perfectly.” Claire stated sweetly.   
  
Reign handed her a Grande-sized Starbucks cup as she walked past him. The festive cup was warm to the touch and from the blissful smile on her face, he could tell it was filled with the correct beverage. He smiled brightly when Claire brought the drink to her lips and sighed in contentment.   
  
Claire swiftly made her way into the kitchen to prepare Akira’s morning meal. She pulled bits of cooked chicken from the fridge and quickly chopped them into small bites, adding them to a bowl of firm bananas, roasted squash, and blueberries. She added a small scoop of prepared fox feed to the bowl and tossed it with a spoon. She sat the food down on Akira’s placemat and filled her water bowl with fresh, slightly cool water.   
  
A quick glance at her watch notified her it was time to head to the hospital for the Christmas Party. She grabbed her white trench coat off the hook by the door and pulled the warm wool garment onto her slender frame. She had a rich, plum-colored scarf she looped around her neck before pulling on a pair of matching gloves.   
  
She turned her head over her right shoulder and watched as Reign donned his own black coat and other outerwear. She slipped her ID, Wallet, keys and phone into a small silver purse that hung on a delicate strap across her chest. She practically glided out of her apartment with Reign close behind her. They made the way towards the first floor and Claire’s waiting car.    
  
Claire smiled as Reign started softly singing along with the Christmas music playing through the car’s stereo. She joined in as the next song started and soon the pair were happily performing together. She expertly navigated the snowy streets of Gotham and safely made the trip to the hospital. She pulled through the Parking Garage and parked in one of the spots reserved for hospital employees.    
  
“Walk me through the plans for today, darling?” Reign asked softly.   
  
“Catered brunch party for work, I have some shopping and errands to run before you’re taking my car and getting lunch with Call, while I go to another Christmas party, then Call’s picking us up to take us to the airport. Our flight to Chicago leaves at three. We should arrive at five, their time, six for us.” Claire answered.   
  
“Ah, time travel, how fun.” Reign teased softly.

Claire hopped out of her car and shivered in a blast of cold air. She started leading the way towards the hospital entrance. She deftly fished her ID card from her purse and slid it through the card reader, granting her access to the Employee entrance. A lovely woman with soft pastel green hair called out to Claire as she came into the building.   
  
“Good morning, Claire! Who’s that strapping young gentleman with you?” Sakura asked.   
  
“Good morning, Sakura. This is my brother, Reign.” Claire replied gently.

“Enchanté, mademoiselle.” Reign stated kindly.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Reign.” Sakura smiled radiantly as she spoke.   
  
“Everyone in the cafeteria?” Claire asked cautiously.

“Yep. Sam’s looking for you. You’re all over the news. There’s a certain tall, handsome, billionaire here too.” Sakura teased.   
  
“Bruce Wayne is here?” Reign inquired.   
  
“I’d kind of hope so. He’s on our board of directors, due to the Thomas Wayne Clinic being named after his father.” Claire answered.

“You’re leaving for Chicago today, right?” Sakura asked.

“Yep. So looking forward to my vacation.” Claire answered with a blissful smile on her face.   
  
Their conversation was cut short by the sounds of Sam running down the hallway towards the group. The pale cyan dress she wore fluttered behind her as she ran. Her long dark red tresses were delicately curled and bounced as she moved.   
  
“Claire! Just when in the name of all that is holy, were you going to tell me about  _ this?! _ ” Sam yelled.   
  
It was then Claire and Reign noticed she was holding a copy of the Gotham Gazette in her hands. The front page headline was ‘ _ Exclusive Tell-all on Bruce Wayne’s Budding New Romance’.  _ Accompanying the headline was a picture from the benefit gala. There, in bold newsprint for the world to see, was a picture of Claire and Bruce dancing intimately at the gala.   
  
“Sam, I can explain.” Claire stated.   
  
“Oh yeah?” Sam huffed as she came to a stop beside her friend.

“Sam, he hired Firestorm to play at the gala. Reign will confirm that he was there. After our performance, Bruce invited us to stay as guests. He wanted to thank me for saving his life and asked if I’d dance with him. As part of my contract for performing, I was asked to participate in a Celebrity Date Auction. I agreed and Bruce won the bid.” Claire admitted sheepishly.   
  
“Bruce? You’re on a first name basis with him?” Sam scathed.

“I am. Are you mad at me Sam?” Claire asked with a sad look on her face.   
  
“What? No! I’m just worried for you, that’s all. He’s a heartbreaker, I don’t want to see that happen to you.” Sam answered.   
  
“Thanks, Sammy. I love you.” Claire stated.   
  
“I love you too, Claire. He’s here, you know.” Sam spoke quietly.   
  
“So I’ve heard. That’s what Sakura was saying. Do you mind if we resume our conversation in the cafeteria? I’m starving.” Claire asked.   
  
Sam nodded and rolled the Gazette up while clutching it tightly in her left hand. She took charge and led Claire and Reign through the hallways towards the Cafeteria that was currently hosting the Holiday Party. The Emergency Department and Labor & Delivery Wards were sharing the first two hours of the day, while the rest of the wards and floors were having their parties later. The trio walked into the Cafeteria and Claire gasped at how beautifully it was decorated.    
  
There was an expansive Christmas Tree well trimmed in the corner near the bubbling water fountain. Each table was covered with a cream colored table cloth and adorned with intricate poinsettia centerpieces. Emerald green plates were the focal point of each place setting. Gentle strands of fairy lights highlighted smaller topiaries in the room. Soft piano chords played through speakers and quite a few of Claire’s colleagues were standing around chatting. 

She scanned the small gathering of people and felt her heart catch in her chest when she saw Bruce. The deep navy blue suit he wore was such a dark color it looked nearly black. It complemented his piercing azure blue eyes perfectly. The infectious smile on his face warmed her heart. She thought about running to him and talking with him when she felt something pulling her towards him.

“So go.” Reign whispered in her ear faintly.

“That’s not fair to you, Reign.” Claire countered.   
  
“You’re forgetting I’m one of the only people that know you as well as you do. I can see you fighting over your feelings for him. You like him, don’t you?” Reign asked softly.

“I… yeah.” Claire admitted.   
  
“So, what’s stopping you from telling him that?” Reign inquired.   
  
“How do you walk up to a billionaire and tell him you’re attracted to him?” Claire hissed.   
  
“Well, first, he’s not a billionaire. He’s Bruce Wayne. Start with that. He knows who you are, so the introduction is easy. Second, he likes you too. Third, you could do a hell of a lot worse for yourself than Bruce Wayne.” Reign laughed.

Claire blushed furiously and swallowed the lump in her throat. She drew a reassuring breath into her lungs and slowly started walking towards Bruce. She could tell he was engaged in light banter with some of the other board members, and from the flat look on his face, he wasn’t enjoying it. She felt her pulse quicken when Bruce saw her and focused his gaze on her. 

Bruce casually excused himself from the conversation and rather quickly made his way to Claire. His breath caught in his throat when he saw her. The rich plum color of her dress suited her perfectly. He was absolutely enthralled with how ravishingly gorgeous Claire was. He could feel everyone watching him as he neared Claire.

“You look absolutely radiant, Claire. It’s a pleasure to see you again.” Bruce stated warmly.   
  
“Thank you, Bruce. You look amazing. I’m glad you’re here.” Claire replied sweetly.   
  
As she remembered to breathe, she caught the notes of Bruce’s cologne in the air. The subtle, yet powerful scent of Dior’s Eau Sauvage clung to him in a tantalizing way. She blushed at the thoughts swirling in her head. Claire felt the warm touch of Reign’s voice in her thoughts as he reached out to her telepathically.   
  
_ “Starlight, look up.” Reign whispered _ .

Claire cast her stormy gray gaze towards the ceiling and growled under her breath. She closed her eyes and opened them again, almost willing the object she saw to disappear. There, hanging delicately above hers and Bruce’s heads, was a tendril of Mistletoe.   
  
_ “I’m gonna kill her, Reign. Sam did this, didn’t she?” Claire internally yelled at the top of her lungs. _

“Erm, Bruce?” Claire asked quizzically.   
  
“Claire?” Bruce replied.   
  
“Look up.” Claire blushed again.   
  
Bruce gently raised his head as he followed Claire’s gaze towards the ceiling. He cursed internally at the situation before him. He chuckled at her previous reaction and brought his azure eyes back to hers.   
  
“May I?” Bruce whispered.   
  
“You may.” Claire replied before she could stop herself.   
  
Bruce reached towards Claire and snaked his right arm around her very slender waist. He pulled her as close to him as he could and felt her body respond. The soft, delicate whimper that escaped her throat sent a shiver down his spine. He slowly brought his lips to hers and pressed a feather-light kiss to them. He growled and moaned when Claire deepened the kiss and wrapped her left arm around his side and clutched his upper body.    
  
The same sparks he’d felt two days ago, and six weeks ago stormed across his skin as he continued his assault on Claire’s mouth. By the time he broke the kiss, Claire’s cheeks were reddened and her lips were plump from their shared kisses. He noticed that she was nearly as breathless as he was.   
  
“Mm, you taste marvelous, Claire.” Bruce flirted.   
  
“I needed that today. Thank you, Bruce. I’m finding it really hard to not kiss you again.” Claire whispered.   
  
“That’s a shame.” Bruce taunted.   
  
“You’re on the Board of Directors and I’m employed here.” Claire lamented.   
  
Bruce noticed he and Claire had yet to separate from one another. He still held her lower back and she had her right hand laying on his broad chest. He brought his left hand to her hand and gently threaded their fingers together. He saw a brief flash of fear dart across Claire’s eyes as she wrestled with the decision in her heart.   
  
He was blindsided by Claire stretching up to kiss him once more. Her soft, sweet kiss was tender and comforting. The warmth from the gesture shot through him like an arrow careening towards its target. It was kind, and delicate, yet full of emotion and passion, much like Claire herself.   
  
He pulled away from her slightly and smiled at her. He frowned and growled deeply when Reign appeared behind Claire and pulled lightly on her elbow, leading her to bashfully depart from Bruce’s company. He stared at her as her lilting laughter filled the air as she walked away from him. Realizing his defeat for the moment, he retreated to the table he was forced to sit at and felt a small reprieve in his soul when a cup of coffee was placed before him. He vowed to spend the rest of the bruncheon watching Claire.   
  
Reign looked at his sister with admonition. He subtlety passed her his handkerchief so she could touch up what little smeared lipstick she had. He could feel her thoughts storming in her head and hugged her shoulders softly.   
  
“That… was amazing, Reign.” Claire whispered breathlessly.

“I could tell.” Reign laughed warmly.

Claire sat back in her chair and realized Reign had switched the place cards. She was now sitting directly in line of sight to Bruce. She could feel the warmth of his gaze as she caught him looking at her. She tried as best as she could to turn her attention onto the catered breakfast in front of her.   
  
The two-hour party droned on, while everyone was thanked for all they do, and the Board praised everyone on the good year they’d had. Towards the end, the Head of the Board presented all the staff with $500 gift card to the White Willow Spa. Claire stared dumbfounded at the card as it was handed to her.   
  
“You can all thank Mr. Wayne for the gift. It was his idea and he purchased them to give to each of you.” The Board member stated.   
  
“I think Claire thanked him enough for all of us!” Dmitri yelled from his table.   
  
Several wolf whistles were made and Claire blushed furiously as she covered her eyes with her hands. She smiled weakly when Reign pulled her into a gentle hug. He rubbed her back softly as she hid in embarrassment.   
  
“The Mistletoe is still there if anyone else would like to thank me.” Bruce taunted.   
  
Claire glanced up towards Bruce and shivered when their gazes met. He subtlety winked at her and stood to make his way back toward the Mistletoe. Relief washed over her as the focus in the room shifted off of her and back towards someone else.

She and Reign were some of the first to leave, as Claire was hoping to avoid being detained by anyone. She glanced at her watch and saw it was almost ten-thirty. She mentally calculated the fastest way towards Angelo’s, one of the best places in Gotham to get formal clothing.   
  
The twenty-minute drive dragged on due to traffic. She parked the car and hopped out while Reign caught up to her. The pair entered the store and Claire was greeted by the employee behind the cash register.   
  
“Hello! Welcome to Angelo’s. How can I help you?” The bright-eyed young woman asked.   
  
“Hi, I’m looking for a formal dress for dinner. Something loose and flowy, yet substantial enough to work in Chicago’s weather.” Claire answered.   
  
“Ah, most excellent. May I ask what size you wear?” The attendant inquired.   
  
“2.” Claire replied.   
  
“If you’ll follow me, I’m more than willing to help you find something.” The woman stated.   
  
She slid out from behind the register and guided Claire towards a rack of dresses. On the wall behind them, Claire spied a dress that caught her attention. The beautiful navy blue dress was floor length and had a delicate scalloped neckline. It had cap sleeves, and a beautifully detailed lace overlay, decorated with roses. Around the waist of the dress was a navy blue satin sash that tied in a small bow at the back. She moved to the dress and pulled it off the rack it was on. The fabric of the dress fluttered in the air as it moved. She held the dress up against her tiny frame and smiled in the mirror.   
  
“Damn, Clairebear. You’ve still got an impeccable taste in fashion. You’re most definitely getting that, right?” Reign asked.   
  
“I think so, yeah. It’s a size 2. I need shoes though. Hrm.” Claire chewed her lip.   
  
Reign disappeared and returned a moment later carrying a couple of boxes in his arms. He sat them down in front of Claire while Aria, the attendant, took the dress and boxed it up. He patted the bench next to him and waited for Claire to join him.   
  
“I found you two pairs that I think you’ll like, and they’ll go with the dress. Box A is a pair of simple black ballet flats. Classic, timeless, can’t go wrong with them. Box B is a bit showy, but they’ll look great. They’re a pair of thin, strappy silver 3” heels.They tie up your calves like a ballet slipper, just using a thinner cord, instead of ribbon.” Reign stated.   
  
Claire tore into the box containing the silver heels and slipped them on. She smiled at Reign when he helped her tie the cords and stand up. She walked to the floor length mirror and stared at her reflection. The shoes looked amazing on her lean legs. The silver would complement the navy nicely, and they were simple enough she could wear them with more outfits she owned.   
  
“I’ll get them both. I’ll wear these with the dress though. Thanks, Reign.” Claire stated happily.   
  
She perched on the edge of the bench and undid the ties on the shoes. She delicately packaged them back in the box and tugged her socks and boots back on. She scooped the boxes into her arms and walked to the cash register. She frowned at the $600 price tag, but inevitably handed over her credit card. She hefted the bag onto her arm and quickly deposited it in the trunk of her Camry.

“Alright, Reign, can you drop me at my apartment? I’ll run my dress up and get my luggage packed and ready to go. I should be done with my party by two. I did online check-in for us, so that’ll save us a bit of time at the airport.” Claire stated as she handed the keys to her brother.

“Of course.” Reign replied.   
  
They sped towards her apartment, making the drive in record time. She hopped out of the car and pulled her new dress from the trunk and waved to Reign as he left to join his husband for lunch. Claire quickly made her way inside the spacious apartment complex and opted to take the stairs to her floor. She hurried inside and sped through packing the remaining items she had left. Her two large suitcases were filled to the brim with clothing as she was spending just under a month back home.As she finished she pressed her fingertip to her left ear and activated the Commlink she now wore all the time. She heard the line chime, signaling it was open and called out to the voice on the other end.   
  
“Aegis requesting transport to the Watchtower.” Claire whispered.   
  
_ “Understood. Transport commencing.” J’onn replied. _

Claire blinked and was standing on a teleport pad in the Watchtower. It took her a second to get used to the buzzy feeling crawling through her skin. She smiled when J’onn waved at her.   
  
“Happy Holidays, J’onn!” Claire called out.   
  
“Happy Holidays, Claire.” J’onn replied.   
  
“Claire, babe, how are you?” Wally asked.   
  
“Hi Wally, I’m pretty great. How are you?” Claire replied.   
  
“Flashtastic.” Wally stated.   
  
Claire facepalmed rather hard at Wally’s statement. She giggled when he sped around her and fell into step beside her. He slung his arm around her shoulders and leaned on her as she walked.   
  
“Where’s the party?” Claire asked cautiously.   
  
“Deck 3, in the Mess Hall. Supes, Wondy, Shay, and GL are there already. Batman’s on the Tower somewhere. Lots of the junior members are up there, too. Want an escort?” Wally asked.   
  
“Sure. I think I can find the mess hall on my own, but I’ll take the company.” Claire answered brightly.   
  
Wally led Claire through the hallways towards the common Mess Hall. The large room took up the vast majority of Deck 3 and featured an entire wall of windows that faced outer space. It was absolutely breathtaking.

As Claire entered the dining area, the Founders waved to her happily. She happily waved back at them and smiled at some of the junior members she knew. Diana bounded into the air and set down next to her and pulled her into a warm hug.    
  
“Happy Holidays! You look amazing, Claire. Purple was the color of royalty and it suits you quite well.” Diana purred.   
  
“Thank you. I’m really glad to get to spend some time with you all before my vacation. Are you sure it’s not too much of an issue I’m taking a month off?” Claire asked trepidatiously.   
  
“Nonsense Claire. The League understands that for our mortal members, and those with families, they come first.” Clark stated as he joined the group.   
  
“That’s a relief.” Claire spoke.   
  
The quad crossed the expansive floor towards Shayera and John. The two were playfully bickering about the differences between Thanagarian customs and American traditions. As she stood, she swore she felt something move behind her. She whirled around and gasped as Batman stood directly behind her.    
  
“Jeez, Batman. Don’t kill Claire. We like her.” Wally stated.   
  
“Hrmpf.” Batman growled.   
  
“Say, Batman, when did you get into the Christmas spirit?” Shayera asked.   
  
“What are you talking about?” Batman growled.   
  
“Uhm, you might want to look up.” Claire whispered.   
  
Batman turned his stone-turning gaze upwards and slammed his eyes shut as he saw the bunch of mistletoe hanging above his head. He sighed and turned to storm off back to his quarters before he was stopped by Claire. She fluttered past the caped crusader as gently as she could and rose several feet in the air and tried pulling the offending item free.    
  
“Wally, what did you attach that with?” John asked.   
  
“Stole some of Batman’s adhesive gel.” Wally answered.   
  
The deep, rumbling growl that was loosed from Batman’s throat startled Claire. She summoned her light to her and gently sliced through the bonds of the adhesive. She tried her best to not leave a mark on Batman’s cowl. As she finished, she gracefully hovered at a height she could stare into Batman’s cowled eyes and kissed him ever-so-gently on the cheek.   
  
“Merry Christmas, Batman.” Claire whispered.   
  
She started to float back towards her friends until Batman grabbed her arm with near superhuman speed and pulled her back to him. She yelped as he nearly crushed her upper arms in his firm grasp. She thought about charging an orb and firing at him until he crushed her lips with his. 

As they kissed, realization dawned on Claire. She recognized the restrained fury of the kiss from earlier. Though the kiss was rougher, darker, angrier that before, she still recognized the compassion and tenderness from Bruce’s kisses.    
  
When the kiss ended, Claire stared at Batman with pain and confusion on her face. She dropped the mistletoe on the floor and flew out of the room as fast as she could. She could hear the cries of her friends as they called out to her. Tears were falling down her cheeks as she soared through the Watchtower towards her quarters. She slammed to a stop outside her door and pounded the keys on the keypad that blocked her entrance.    
  
As the door whooshed open she darted inside and slapped the lock on the door preventing anyone else from entering. She collapsed on the bed and stared out the viewing window in horror at her realization. She felt her phone vibrate in her purse and she silenced the device.   
  
“Damn Batman. What the hell was that?” John barked.   
  
“She was just trying to be nice to you, Batman.” Clark stated.   
  
“Idiot people that do idiot things like glue mistletoe to my cowl and use it to kiss me deserve my wrath.” Batman ground out..   
  
“So, because she didn’t have anything to do with that, and genuinely helped you, while being polite to you, you had to kiss her so rough you hurt her?” Diana asked with scorn in her voice.

“Don’t test me, Princess.” Batman growled.   
  
“Claire has only ever been nice to you, Batman. We get it, you hate her, but can’t you once, be nice to someone, even if it kills you inside?” Clark asked.   
  
“I’m sorry, Bats. I thought you’d laugh at the joke. It was just a joke, you know that right?” Wally asked quietly.   
  
“J’onn can you get a location on Aegis, please?” Shayera called out.   
  
_ “Aegis is currently located onboard the Watchtower, in her quarters on Deck 6.” J’onn’s voice echoed mechanically. _

“Go apologize to her, Batman.” Clark stated firmly.   
  
Batman glared at his dearest friend and turned on his heel. He could feel his phone vibrating in his utility belt. He knew without a doubt that it was likely Claire trying to call Bruce. He’d crossed a line and now the woman he was developing feelings for had run from him like a wounded animal. His heart ached at knowing what he’d done to her. He picked up his pace and ran through the halls towards Claire’s quarters.   
  
Though he wasn’t gifted with flight, like she was, it took him slightly longer to arrive. His throat tightened when he saw the glaring red light above the keypad letting others know she wished to not be disturbed. He balled his fist and knocked on the heavy metal door.   
  
“Go away.” Claire yelled.   
  
“Let me in, or I’ll pick the lock.” Batman growled out.   
  
“You come in here, you’re going to get a light orb to your face.” Claire yelled back.   
  
“Damn it, Claire. Open the door.” Batman yelled back.   
  
“No. J’onn, can you site-to-site transport me from my quarters to my home? I think I’d like to leave early.” Claire called out.   
  
“J’onn, I’ll override the system if you try and send her anywhere.” Batman yelled.   
  
“You got what you wanted from me. You hate me, I get it. I shouldn’t have kissed you. I’m sorry. You can go back to being the tall, dark, brooding nightmare of person that you are.” Claire huffed out.

‘Claire…” Batman spoke.   
  
The door whooshed open revealing a furious Claire. Tears streamed down her porcelain cheeks and fury danced in her stormy eyes. She yelped when Batman charged into her room and scooped her up in his arms. He kicked the lock on the door behind him and kissed her as gently as he could.   
  
“What… in the hell?” Claire panted.   
  
“I’m sorry. For earlier.” Batman answered.   
  
“Which earlier? When you kissed me with so much passion it left us breathless, or when you bruised my upper arms because I kissed your cheek?” Claire huffed out.   
  
“Not this morning. That was perfect and amazing and wonderful. For the Wally incident. You helped me, again, out of the kindness in your heart. I’m… not used to that.” Batman stated.   
  
“Do you mind taking off that ridiculous cowl?” Claire asked.   
  
Bruce reached to the cowl on his head and hesitated for just a moment before pulling the rubbery material backward and off his face. He stared into Claire’s eyes and reached out to touch her. When she didn’t back away, he looped his left arm around her waist and pulled her against him. He fumbled around with a pouch on his utility belt with his right hand and produced a small silver tube. He squeezed a scant amount of the cream onto his gloved fingers and gently smeared the cream over the newly formed bruises on Claire’s upper arms.   
  
The cool minty cream felt amazing on the tender areas of her arms. She closed her eyes and smiled weakly when goosebumps formed on her skin from the cooling reaction. She glanced at her arm and stared at the bruises as they faded before her.   
  
“What in the heck?” Claire stammered.   
  
“Topical Analgesic Cream developed by WayneMedical. Alleviates pain, inflammation, redness, bruises, cuts, scrapes, etc. I go through a lot of this.” Bruce answered.   
  
“It… feels a lot better, thank you.” Claire stated quietly.   
  
“When I kiss you, I feel like I’m being electrocuted. Is that because of your powers?” Bruce asked gently.   
  
“Like sparks are dancing all over your skin? Like the pins and needles when your foot falls asleep?” Claire countered.   
  
“Mmhmm.” Bruce answered.   
  
“That’s not me doing that. I… felt it too.” Claire blushed.   
  
“You kissed me today. Aren’t you dating Wally?” Bruce asked.   
  
“Not anymore, no. We amicably broke up yesterday. My heart belongs to someone else. It wasn’t fair to him to ask him to keep up our relationship long distance either.” Claire stated.   
  
“That’s a relief to hear.” Bruce responded.   
  
“I’m not a cheater, Bruce. I’ve lived my whole life knowing I had superpowers. I haven’t trusted a lot of men in my life. I’ve casually dated, sure, but nothing really serious. In our line of work, secrets will kill you. So will betraying those who trust you. I kissed you because I’m attracted to you, Bruce. Even knowing you’re Batman, I’m still attracted to you.    
  
“I ran from you earlier, because I realized who I was kissing. Who it was beneath the suit. Who’s been tormenting my thoughts and dreams since the night you left your Batarang in my apartment. I don’t give a damn about your wealth or power, I care about who you, Bruce Wayne, the man is. I’ve met the myth and the legend, I’d really like to meet just Bruce.” Claire stated.   
  
“Tomorrow at Il Tramonto. I promise. I’m attracted to you too, Claire. I don’t think I could deny that if Diana bound me in her lasso. I’d do it too. So you know I’m serious. Do you think you could handle being in a relationship with me?” Bruce inquired.   
  
“Let’s see, long sleepless nights, working with you in the League, press, fancy parties… I think so. I’d like to try.” Claire answered.   
  
“Tomorrow. Our first official date. I don’t care what you tell or omit from the press. Tell them everything you want about who you are, or nothing at all. No comment can be your most valuable ally when involved with me.” Bruce stated.   
  
“I’d like to kiss you again, may I?” Claire asked.   
  
Bruce dropped his hands to her waist and smiled when she hovered the few extra inches to bring her mouth to his. She wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly as she pressed soft, tender kisses to his lips. He whimpered when she lightly nipped the skin of his neck beneath his left ear.

“I’ll be staying at the Fairmont until the 23rd. I’m really looking forward to dinner tomorrow.” Bruce whispered.  
  
Claire’s phone rang and she frowned when she realized it was Reign calling her. She dropped to her feet and picked up the device. She flicked the answer button and brought the device to her ear.  
  
 _“It’s time, Clairebear. I’m about five minutes away from your apartment, are you ready to go?” Reign asked._ _  
_ _  
_“Of course. I’ll meet you in the lobby.” Claire answered.  
  
 _“See you soon!” Reign exclaimed._ _  
_ _  
_Claire disconnected the call and scrubbed a hand over her face. She darted into the bathroom to check her appearance and smiled when she saw nothing was overly amiss. A quick tidying up would suffice.  
  
“J’onn, I need a site-to-site transport to my apartment, please.” Claire called out.  
  
 _“Of course. Have a wonderful vacation, Claire.”_ _J’onn responded._

“I’ll see you tomorrow evening, Bruce.” Claire called out.   
  
“I’m counting on it.” Bruce replied.


End file.
